The Mark of a Saiyan
by Fireball Massacre
Summary: AU. Young Gohan accidentally travels back to the future along with Mirai Trunks, and everything goes downhill- and uphill and sideways from there. Gohan travels to different AUs/ timelines with M.T. He faces problems and gains new abilities as time goes on. Full Summary inside. Gohan will have to become a great warrior and an even more amazing thinker or he'll lose everything.
1. Chapter 1

_**(Here's another story, and the disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, as always. Enjoy and feel free to leave me a comment telling me what you think.)**_

 _ **Summary: AU.**_ ** _Young Gohan gets sent into the future when an accident occurs that involved a time machine, a peculiar purple-haired teen, and the child. Journey through various futures/ time lines as Gohan grows stronger and becomes older. With Androids and other various problems, such as his tail's reappearance, periods of amnesia, and unimaginable terrors, Gohan is going to have to face everything thrown his way, while keeping his "family" in tact. Eventual Pairing later on- way later on. Stronger/Smarter Gohan. (brotherly Gohan and Mirai Trunks)._**

 **Chapter 1: The Encounter with the Enigmatic Teen**

His eyes glanced up at the sky, awaiting the very man that he was only described about. _Two more hours._ He turned to stare at the ground, fidgeting a bit. He anticipated who would arrive in that time. He wondered if the one he's going to help would be at all like he imagined.

His mind began to drift to his mother- the one who suggested this trip. She announced this journey as a journey for _Hope_ , a hope for a better future, a hope for something other than the monsters they had to endure for years. She respected the man he was supposed to aid, and she was under the impression that he could change the entire course of events in the past.

All he had to do was to hand over the medicine, which will save the man from his demise, and everything would fix itself. From his mother's view, she was a hundred percent positive that this warrior could accomplish the feat in getting rid of those monsters. He was still slightly skeptical on the importance his mother held over this man's head, though.

He looked at the time again, and he shifted on the rock he sat upon.

He could have sworn that the medicine felt as if it was drilling a hole in his pocket, and he tried to cling to his mother's hope, but he had another. He wanted to see if he could find some kind of weak spot on the Androids, just so he could save the inhabitants of Earth from their terrible future and be positive that they'd be safe.

However, he knew that it was necessary to warn the man of the upcoming events, as he would do so when the man arrived, yet the man- the saiyan- was nowhere to be seen, and…

He blew out a breath, sensing the man far away, but nearing the planet quickly, but there was an even more pressing issue. Something- actually two somethings- were approaching Earth, and they were practically upon it. They were far ahead of the one he needed to assist. In fact, he knew that _he_ 'd never make it in time, especially when he glanced at his watch quickly.

It wasn't time, and _he_ wouldn't succeed in making an appearance to stop the two power levels descending on Earth. The teen felt them closing in on his home, and he understood that they must have landed. He stood up; he couldn't sit back and allow these aliens the opportunity to destroy the planet.

. . . .

All of the Z Fighters had sensed the incoming KIs, and they all knew who they were going to have to face. They scrambled to get ready and head out to confront Frieza. Gohan slipped his saiyan armor on and ventured out of the house, meeting up with their medium-sized group.

Everyone was there; there was Krillin, Mr. Piccolo, Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Puar, Bulma, and even Vegeta. Unfortunately, there was a greater power level near Frieza, and then there was yet another impressive force. Everyone had hesitated from the amazing surge of energy erupting from the third person. The ground rumbled beneath their feet, causing Bulma to totter, fall, and let out a noise.

Gohan faced the direction that the source of enormous power erupted from, contributing the only logical explanation. "It might be my dad." That was the only person that came to mind, so he went with it despite Krillin's obvious suspicion. They sped ahead, everyone hurrying on their feet toward the commotion. They slowed to a halt in surprise, realizing something big unfolding in the distance.

"GET DOWN," was yelled out by Krillin just before a blast of air struck overhead from a powerful attack- an attack presumably dished out by Frieza. A few moments passed. Reaching their feet, the group focused on the ongoing fight a while away.

They were all sensing Frieza throwing blasts and attacking, but then, it abruptly stopped. Frieza's power level completely vanished, drawing out shocked faces from the group. For a while, they contemplated and conversed until Vegeta, who apparently didn't like the idea of another Super Saiyan, flashed off the ground, taking to the air.

The rest of the group were compelled to follow, including Gohan himself, and they flew after the swiftly moving full-blooded saiyan. They reached the battle when it was drawing to its conclusion, when the second strongest power fell at the hand of the blond teen before them. Most of them gaped at the scene- especially Gohan, who was the one to show the most emotion. He was completely stunned and admittedly nervous.

A blast shot through the other's body, definitely finishing him off when he exploded after the contact. The blond's arm swirled around and another pale beam exploded from the teen's hand, effectively disabling the ship below.

Gohan froze, mouth open, as his wide eyes met with eyes that were now currently bright blue, or perhaps that connection was just his imagination playing tricks on him. What really confused him, though, was what the teen said a moment later.

"I'm off to a place to meet Goku."

 _My father?_ Gohan questioned himself. _How-_

"Would you guys like to come? He should be here in a couple of hours."

. . . .

The teen led the way to the spot where he was instructed that Goku would land, giving the warriors of this time drinks for the long wait for the other super saiyan. He took a seat on a sturdy rock and couldn't help the way his eyes searched the group and traveled to all of them.

He paused at the woman of the group, and he saw the similarities of the one he grew up with. If he didn't know any better, he might have accidentally addressed her as "Mom." She was just so like his mother from his time, yet so different. They both had the same colored hair and the same shiny eyes, mostly. It was oddly reassuring to him.

His eyes drifted to land on his father, only to snap away from the piercing gaze he received. He decided to look at the others, less noticeably of course- or so he hoped. He observed the youngest demi-saiyan, the first person that he saw when he turned to the stares that he had felt on him after blowing up the ship.

He could tell that this mere child was his mentor from his time. He had to take a double take upon first looking over… He just could never get rid of the picture of his mentor's lifeless eyes, body drenched in more red than the water falling out of the sky.

He shook his head and thought back on the previous fight. He'd easily disposed of the aliens' henchmen, and he had locked his blue eyes on his original target- Frieza. He stared while he transformed, feeling the air whip around his form and witnessing the smug expression disappear from the alien's face. It was first replaced with terror, then it was shoved out by a deep fury. His musings were cut off after he spied his mother's counterpart's form nearby, and she started talking to him.

"You sure I don't know you?" She asked, bringing the can to her lips for a sip.

He squirmed faintly under the scrutiny. "No, I'm afraid not."

Her head tilted, shrugging it off. "Alright if you say so." She removed the can from her face for the second time, staring at the teen for a bit then turning to complain to Yamcha about something.

He released a sigh of relief, glad that the curious woman was paying no attention to him. The lavender-haired lad fixed his eyes on the top of his bent knee, attempting to ignore the heated gaze boring into his side. The hours could just not move fast enough, and even that was an understatement.

He had been so edgy about the whole situation- meeting the others, hoping that they didn't think too hard about who he was, and of course his father. His mother had warned him before he left about how his father was "different," but he was totally unlike how the teen visualized him as.

Just examining him from afar was making him tense. His father definitely noticed the looks, and he thoroughly pointed it out every time. The teen opted to continue to look at his knee, only a few times- more like a dozen times- glancing at his watch.

Eventually, his eyes found something in the distance, and it darted across the sky, crashing a little bit away. He nearly jumped up to escape all the looks his way, but he remained calm and rose to his feet to talk to the man.

. . . .

Gohan observed the stranger for a few moments and glanced away. He pondered how this apparent saiyan knew of his dad. He couldn't really comprehend how this teen gathered this information on his dad's appearance, even more so than the teen's proclamation on hearing about said man.

He had waited among the rest until he saw a space pod hurtle toward the ground. They rushed over to the large crater in earnest. Gohan wanted to attack his dad- not literally- and hug him for the first time in what seemed like forever.

He desperately wished to talk to his dad; however, the stranger was the first one to really speak face-to-face with him. He remained with the others, watching the interaction between the two saiyans, which escalated into them both being super saiyans.

Gohan watched in awe at the spectacle, forgetting his slight impatience momentarily. He wondered if he could ever be that strong. Then, he crept closer, in order to see their faces. He was close enough to recognize his dad's easygoing smile on his face when he turned his head a bit, and he saw his dad raise a few fingers to his forehead and grin like a buffoon, bringing a small smile to the young boy's face. Gohan thought he heard something about Instant Transmission, but he wasn't totally sure if he heard that correctly; he could only guess.

The teen had blinked at whatever else Goku was saying, and Gohan still wasn't close enough to actually hear anything. Goku put his right hand down, same grin plastered to his face. Gohan debated on making the journey over, but he decided that it was unneeded.

If his dad wanted to tell him it, then he would, and Gohan wasn't going to get into their business, so he ventured away, studying rock formations and keeping himself occupied for the time being. He made it pretty far out, and he was about to head back when he observed an object, which caught his attention.

He cautiously inched toward the giant contraption. He flew up to study the top of it, touching back to the ground and placing a hand along the side of it afterward. He concentrated on the feel of the machine, fingers skimming along the outside to brush along something that resembled a button.

The top of the object began to open, allowing Gohan to jump into the seat and marvel at the technology within it. _Wow, just… Wow._ He hid an amused laugh and just stared. This… whatever it was, was just amazing- spectacular- ginormous really. He had once read a book about advanced technology, as ordered by his mom, and it had vaguely interested him at that time, but this real life machine had his complete attention. He examined all of the buttons and anything else he could find.

In fact, he looked underneath the seat just to see if something else rested there, even though he only saw an open area. His eyes went back to scanning the complicated machine and its buttons, compelling him to reach out and touch one.

The sturdy machine seemed to hum underneath the boy, and he pressed the button once more, which ended the hum. He studied the other buttons, and he determined some of their actions just by looking at them. He reached forward, as if to push another, but found himself hesitating. He paused and listened to his surroundings.

He knew for certain that he had heard a rock roll along the ground. He slowly withdrew himself from the seat and peered over the edge of the entrance. When he saw nothing in sight, he moved to pick himself up out of the machine because he still felt someone heading his way. For a second, nothing happened when he tried to get out.

The next thing that occurred was a sharp pain in his ankle, which was stuck somehow between the seat and wall or maybe the floor, and he felt the ankle twist, and his body smashed back down. The back of his head collided with something extremely hard, leading to a darkness taking over Gohan after a whirlwind of color flashed into his vision.

He thought he felt the machine hum and begin to float upward, rising up into the air. His stomach churned and his skin began to feel as if it were burning as he was met with utter darkness.

. . . .

He opened his eyes slowly, a shooting pain at the back of his head and confusion the only thing he could register. He squinted around the dimly lit object he found himself within, and he lifted himself up through the difficult ache and the spinning machine. Somehow, he finally made it to solid ground and turned to the place he just escaped from.

He had no idea what that thing was or where he was. He drew his hands up to rub his head, warily. Nothing appeared familiar to him, not even the thing he was imprisoned in when he awoke. His hands fell to his side as the ruins around him swirled. He glanced at his swaying feet, and he caught the yellow and green of his outfit and frowned.

He brought up his hands again and felt around. He withdrew a hat from his head and frowned even more at it. He let his hands return to his side after placing the orange hat back on. He was truly puzzled, especially when something brushed against his arm. He physically jumped and looked over his shoulder to find the person who had touched him.

When he was met with no one, he furrowed his brow and turned back to gazing forward. Then, he felt the fleeting touch another time, and he tensed up, stiffly forcing his head, so he could see his left arm. He waited for movement, and he gaped when he observed something brown brush along his arm. His dark eyes were grew wide and were drawn to the moving appendage on his backside.

He reached out and poked it. The freely moving brown thing continued its movement, undeterred by the boy's prodding. He hesitated about letting the thing leave his sight, but the thing didn't seem too alarming and dangerous- it was the only thing he liked about his situation and liked was almost too much of a strong word.

He glanced around at the setting and just grew more bewildered. He pushed himself to walk to his left, in hope in finding something recognizable. Unfortunately, the boy probably should have traveled to the right because he wouldn't have missed the strange purple-haired teen from before.

Soon his feet started to drag, and his eyelids drooped. He just wanted to fall asleep, but he found nothing comfortable or soothing in the environment, so he keep trudging ahead. He continued on his way, barely finding his way across a small stream without falling.

He jumped across the rocks to the other side, stomach tightening right away from the effort. The confused stumbling boy kept going. Nothing was recognizable- nothing made sense. He just didn't know anything, and he was pretty sure that if someone asked him for his name, he wouldn't be able to tell them.

In the distance, he heard explosions, and he saw smoke and flames rising up from a city. The explosions made the ground shudder, and Gohan basically panicked. He ran as swiftly as he could, stumbling and having to pick himself up from the ground multiple times. The noises and rattling increased, even if Gohan tried to put more distance away from him and the disaster occurring in the city.

He ducked underneath a rock ledge and hid himself in a ball, the brown thing acting as yet another barrier against the chaos that sent chills down Gohan's spine. Every explosion sent his head throbbing. What made everything so bad was the increasing pain all over his body and the fear that resided there revolving around the unknowing and the burning city below.

The noise was cut off as sleep overtook him suddenly.

. . . . . . . . . .

(UNNEEDED PART, but it can still be read:

The blond male stared at the figure before him with a calm expression on his face- which was reflected in his teal colored eyes. He had managed to easily disarm and dispose of the alien's henchmen, and now he had his eyes set right on his original Target, who seemed to take a step back.

The now recently turned blond watched as the other fighter's so smug expression faltered and a flash of fear darted into his red eyes to disappear a moment later. The alien's hands clenched tightly. _Not another one... It just can't be! But... Those eyes._

He felt the undeniable feeling of dread creep into him. It was just like on that pathetic burning planet- no, he refused to be beaten by another one, even if it wasn't one of those previous monkeys! Anger gripped him. He was the ruler - the _emperor_ \- of the universe. No one could measure up to Lord Frieza!

With that, his hand snapped up; he was going to end this creature and wreak his revenge on the one that caused him so much annoyance. He'd destroy this world, everything that the monkey loved, and finally obliterate that damn thing that dared to cross his path and make a fool out of him.

He instantly felt the energy flow toward his fingertips, moving further to spread out into the open air. Understanding full well what this blast could do, he continued to fuel the yellow-orange sphere, cracking a laugh. There was no way this one would get away, and even without the miserable planet, Frieza would destroy the man- who happened to be on his way.

The giant blast shot from his hands, heading straight for the young warrior, who showed no sign of being remotely frightened. Enraging the ruler of the universe, Frieza moved forward on his own account, ignoring his father's advice from before.

They shouldn't blow up the planet yet, but he couldn't take his almost defeat, and he didn't particularly enjoy the nuisance in front of him informing him that he would eliminate Frieza. _What a laughable concept_ \- at least in Freiza's brain. However, just as the Supernova struck its desired target, it began to rise from the ground.

The alien's eyes widened upon the appearance of the blond fighter beneath, hand outstretched and supporting the ball that had once leveled - and even blew up- Planet Vegeta. As he hovered in the air, the teen rose as well, flinging the sphere into the atmosphere.

Not a second later, the young man disappeared from view, and Frieza received a sharp pain that began at his head and filled into the rest of his body. He watched the blond-haired being split in two, his body slowly numbing, but not fast enough to cease the new erupting pain.

His eyes located the haunting teal eyes, and he could have sworn he was back on Namek. That was one of the last things he saw because the next was a burst of light. The blond's gaze flickered to the larger powered being and settled his pristine sword.

Despite the promises and everything else, with a few precise movements and almost getting harmed, the teen finished off the second alien- whoever he may be. King Cold or something like that, no doubt- especially with naming his son " _Frieza_."

Two blasts ended the taller figure, and the ship was ruined directly after. Smoke rose up into the air from the destroyed spaceship.)

* * *

 _ **(Next Time or Chapter: The Flickers that Make Him Realize. - i might not always name a chapter, it depends...**_

Notes:

This is an idea that has been playing in my head forever, so I decided to actually start writing it down. The beginning of this is definitely similar to the episode involving MT and Frieza, but it'll be different. As for the various timelines, I decided to create them as Alternative Universes. I've have most of this story summed up in my head, but I can always add something in for you, just ask. As for the pairing, it will be much later on, basically when Gohan's like sixteen ("17" HBTC). There will be fight scenes, which I can't seem to write exactly like my mind pictured, but I'm aiming at getting better.

Longest notes ever, but finally I'm done. Hope you give this one a shot! Oh, I have the second chapter written already if you want me to put that up.)


	2. Chapter 2

**_(Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Thanks to everyone that looked at the story, followed, gave a favorite, and reviewed. Hope everyone that looked at the first chapter will continue on because once Gohan regains his memories, he won't be as weak and confused as he is without them. If you have any questions, just ask.)_**

 _ **Summary: AU.**_ ** _Young Gohan gets sent into the future when an accident occurs that involved a time machine, a peculiar purple-haired teen, and the child. Journey through various futures/ time lines as Gohan grows stronger and becomes older. With Androids and other various problems, such as his tail's reappearance, periods of amnesia, and unimaginable terrors, Gohan is going to have to face everything thrown his way, while keeping his "family" in tact. Eventual Pairing later on- way later on. Stronger/Smarter Gohan. (brotherly Gohan and Mirai Trunks)._**

 **Chapter 2: The Flickers that Make Him Realize**

It has been a few weeks, or at least what the boy thought. He honestly did not know where or who he was; he only received fragments of what he could only describe as memories, and even then, he was totally confused about the flashes of random events.

However, he did discover a place that he felt that he belonged, no matter the dangerous creatures living there. His dark eyes briefly examined the area, observing the rocks, the grass, and the towers of earth all around him. Then, he went back to grabbing handfuls of nuts to throw into his open mouth, continuing to think to himself.

All he really figured out was that he may have been called "Gohan"- oh, and that he was missing _a lot_ of his memory, but he was slowly regaining it. He usually received only flashes of faces, which he didn't fully recognize. Usually, the people's faces he pictured in his head were blurred and not in focus, but there was one that he could pick out more than the others. It was strange, but it couldn't be as strange as a freaky tail!

He slowed his eating and pondered the images he remembered. He still found it hard to think that he was with these blobs of color once, and now none of them were here. He placed down his makeshift bowl with a slight grimace. He was glad that he was able to take care of himself, he guessed.

He had survived, despite the limited knowledge he seemed to have. He went to grab another nut, but he stopped with a cry. He gripped his arms as he felt another pain. Over the weeks, he had felt something that would just disappear out of nowhere, and he had grown to realize that these things that immediately dropped out of existence should not be doing so.

It was bad, but he didn't know why. He felt another slip away, and soon the grip on his arms tightened. He wanted to scream, wanted the flickers of whatever to stop, he… Another died out next to the previous one. He couldn't just sit here!

He hopped up and ran toward the flickers that faded in the distance. After all this time, he couldn't get used to those feelings; he hated when one would leave because he knew that whatever it was wasn't going to show up again. He ran as fast as he could, toward the _"flickers"_ that almost forced the boy to head back.

This would be the first time since he left his little spot since he found it, but he just couldn't forget the agonizing disappearances of whatever they were. He couldn't just sit back anymore; it was by far too distressing. He picked up his pace and rushed to the group of…

A flash of a teen with golden hair appeared, and for once, Gohan shoved off the image in a hurry. He normally would have allowed the memory to remain a bit, but right now, he was focused on another thing. Another flicker was cut off, and it felt like a hit in the gut, even if Gohan didn't particularly remember that feeling or who had hit him in the stomach in the first place.

He finally neared a city, ducking his head to cover his eyes from the rising smoke. He stifled a cough and crept forward. He paused as he saw someone laying down in the street. He approached as if to ask the older man if he was alright, but when he grew closer, his blood ran cold- colder than when he was first introduced to the strange flickers. His body shook, and he backed up, eyes brimming with tears.

He didn't understand it. _Who- What- would do this?_ His brow furrowed, eyes locked on the corpse before him. He didn't know if this was his first time seeing someone dead; all he knew was that he couldn't handle finding another.

As if on cue, he turned to the next flicker, and his eyes found a charred body a ways off. He sank to his knees as he spied tattered forms all around him. _It couldn't be…_ His musings were cut off by a shrill scream for help. That one word was all he needed to get back to his feet and travel the way it was coming from.

He reached the scene just before the person exploded into a million pieces, as the flicker seemed to do the same. He discovered that he could not move; he was fixated by the realization finally sinking in. Of course, he already discovered that the things were connected with the people and their demise, but he had refused to allow himself to believe that that many people were dead.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He was hiding from all this! He was hidden in his spot, safe, while everyone faced this!? Another tear followed after the initial one, and he held the damaged side of a building to his left for support. He had just remained away, and let all of these people die. He knew that when the flickers were gone they were totally gone, yet he never showed up to check it out before.

He should have came down sooner; he should have helped them beforehand. All the "pain" from the dying people he had sensed filled his head, and he hung his head. All of them, dead- because he was too scared to help them. His dark eyes drifted off the ground when he heard footsteps, and he saw a little child, even smaller than himself, scamper away from something that the destroyed building hid from Gohan's view.

The child was wailing for someone, their mother, to come. Gohan's lips pulled down even more when he understood that the child's parents were not able to assist the child. Gohan didn't comprehend the noise in the distance, but he rushed forward to cover the child. He had his arms spread out.

"Stop!" He screamed at the thing that caused all this pain and suffering. He hesitated when his eyes landed on a blonde girl and a boy with black hair. The blonde gave a huff as the boy laughed, glancing to the blonde for a moment.

"Look, sis," the boy said. He continued speaking, but Gohan turned to the youngest in the group.

He knelt down and offered a smile, even the strained smile seemed to be enough because the young one ceased crying and simply held the remains of a blanket. "You okay?"

The younger one nodded, and that's when Gohan noticed a concealed woman in the wreckage, her eyes were fearful, but locked on the youngest boy.

"Run that way," Gohan instructed, pointing toward the direction of the woman.

The other boy nodded again and rushed in that direction.

"Look, we missed two-" The blonde began; she brought up a hand that faced the youngest boy's direction. Gohan opened his mouth to say something- anything- yet nothing came out, instead it was the oldest boy that spoke.

"Die!" A bright flash exploded from the black-haired boy and struck the boy, lighting both the boy and the hidden woman in a pale light. They exploded, along with a building that caved in on itself.

That was when Gohan reached his feet, clenching his fists in anger. He turned away from the hole in the ground, fury in his eyes. "How could you? They didn't do anything to you."

The long-haired boy just shrugged. "We're just trying to have some fun."

"Yeah, get lost kid," the blonde told the boy, head in her hands while she sat on a piece of uprooted pavement.

Gohan almost shrank away when he heard the other boy say that he'll _"kill this one"_ too. He glanced over his shoulder, regaining his anger when he surveyed the devastated city. No, he couldn't just let them get away with this, so he sprinted forward. He attacked with all his might, drawing on what he had witnessed.

He stumbled a lot, clearly very inexperienced, at least from his knowledge. He threw a punch, which the boy side-stepped with ease. Gohan kept trying to hit him, sending a lousy fist at the older boy's face. He lunged forward for another attempt to hit him, but a pain in his stomach was the end result.

He was bent over a knee, which had roughly connected with his stomach, then he was flying, smashing into a building and eventually coming out the other side. He pushed himself onto his hands and knees, holding back the tears that sprang to his eyes from the pain. Footsteps slowly came closer, and Gohan was barely able to reach his feet when he was smashed deep into the ground again. Gohan felt himself being lifted, and an image of that strange face darted into his mind, followed by an image of the strange one punching a younger version of Gohan. Gohan's eyes flew open, and he leaned back and threw his weight into the punch.

He was dropped for a second only to hear a few choice words and watch as the other boy glared and stomped on his chest. The connection made Gohan scream and his body to respond by trying to protect his chest, which was persistently smashed by a foot. He coughed up blood, along with another loud yell. His vision blurred, and he clenched his eyes shut. After a bit, he realized that the pain numbed away, and the foot stopped.

He was lifted up by the neck of his clothing once more, but he refused to open his eyes.

"Well, this little brat sure has some fire to him." The feminine voice seemed to echo in Gohan's skull, much further away than she actually was.

Gohan went to punch again, but found himself back on the ground. This time, his eyes revealed themselves for a second, and he definitely did not like what he saw. The two- monsters- were standing over him, and he knew that they would end him. He didn't want to die nor did he want it to end like this. He struggled to sit up; he refused to stop. They couldn't just go around and kill those people.

He owed the people that- he had to try. With that, he made it to his knees and narrowed his eyes at the two swaying forms above him. Apparently, they were just going to leave him there, since they seemed to be walking away. The older boy stared at him. The emotionless expression was immediately replaced with a smirk.

"Somehow, he's alive." The laughter that followed was cruel, but Gohan barely heard it.

He wanted to stand, but his muscles refused to function. His body could easily be compared to lead. "You can't do this to these people! It's wrong!" He waited for the older boy to come forward. He'd get him when he's closer. However, he wasn't quick enough because the boy said.

"Hey look at this, this kid's got a tail."

"Hm? I didn't think humans had tails."

Gohan went to move away, but the other boy grabbed hold of the tail, and all of Gohan's strength left him. He went completely limp as he was lifted off the ground. He couldn't find the energy to even speak. He had thought before he was lead, but now he couldn't control anything. He was absolutely useless. He just hung there, swaying back and forth.

The other boy chuckled. "Sorry, your 'tail' has come to an end." That was when the pain engulfed the younger one. He couldn't help, but scream at the top of his lungs as he listened to the ripping sound emanating from his tail. He was released only when the tail split from his body.

There was no stopping the silent drops that ran from his eyes. He shivered at the pain still there, and he whimpered out real soft. The tail reached his vision when it landed beside him.

"Why don't we leave him, he may be fun in a few years," questioned the other boy from somewhere above him.

"No, just get rid of him, he's already a _pest_."

"Yeah, you're right, we'll just find another thing-"

Gohan heard ringing in his head and dark invaded in vision just as a new pain erupted all over his body.

. . . .

A crushing weight prevented him from moving, and after what seemed like hours, the heavy debris was off the young boy. He crawled along the remains of the city, pain shooting up his arms and pins and needles running up and down his legs. He coughed up red, but ignored it. He hoisted himself up in a better position to go down a mound of a broken building's wall.

He knew it was best to not head down head-first, that would be ridiculous. He saw something in the sky, and he reached his feet to study it. Whatever it was flew above the city, so Gohan limped over to hide behind one of the only standing buildings- well half a building. He peered around the side just as the flying object touched down. It was a person, but Gohan thought it best not to venture over.

It was best to stay away, especially if referring to the latest events were any indications. A voice spoke from within his mind. "Conceal your energy," it had said to him. He decided to do that, and for some reason, that voice came with a picture of him bringing down his power level.

He did as the voice wanted, limping away from the figure, only pausing when the figure took to the air again in a flash. When, and only when, the figure was gone from view and a bit after that, Gohan made his way back _home_ \- to his secret spot.

* * *

 ** _(Next Chapter: Familiar Faces Among These Places._**

 ** _Next Time: Gohan fights both of the Androids again, getting seriously hurt once again after putting up a better fight this time though, and let's say you could guess the rest when you look at the next chapter's name. Chapter 4: There's Still Good in This Future. Chapter 5: Memory and Action.)_**

Reviews:

Cruzerblade: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're interested, and here's the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

_**(Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.)**_

 **Chapter 3: Familiar Faces Among these Places**

The young boy had healed up somewhat, but he desperately missed his tail; apparently, he had gotten attached to it. He dared not to look behind him since he didn't want to break down from it no longer there and the circumstances that led to it being taken. A sigh erupted from Gohan's mouth as he withdrew himself from the bed of grass that he usually slept in.

He couldn't sleep, so he wandered around, just like usual now. The limp was almost gone, even though it hadn't really been that long since he first met those two monsters. He debated on how long it has been, concluding that it had only been three days, four for the absolute maximum. Gohan had analyzed their movements in an attempt to add it to his own fighting, but he didn't know what his fighting style was, yet anything should help him.

He had begun to meditate, only because it was relaxing, helped him think, and something he randomly remembered someone doing next to him constantly, so he sat down near the river to meditate. He cleared his head, and he stayed like that for quite awhile. In fact, when his eyes fluttered open, it was light out. He shielded them with a hand to judge the sun's position. It was almost directly overhead.

He didn't know what that meant normally, but he understood that he had wasted a lot of time. He needed to get stronger and better if he wanted to lend a hand for those people. He was ecstatic that the monsters had not attacked anyone since their encounter, but he knew that the calm wouldn't last. He picked himself up and contemplated about everything he had learned from his attempt at getting stronger.

First of all, his memories were coming back, well more faces showed up, such as a bald man with a third eye, a man with a deep scowl that chilled Gohan more than he'd like to admit, who wore some sort of armor, and there was a woman with black hair up in a bun, smile settled on her face. Gohan hoped it was his mother. The woman had seemed very happy about something.

Gohan glanced up at the sky again with a faint smile. The smile instantly disappeared as he sensed the people's energy dying. He balled his fists, and he sprinted toward the area. He wouldn't let them kill those innocent people! A flash of a man with a determined face hit him, making him abruptly halt.

He saw the crazy spiky hairdo, and he watched the man raise up a fist and grin. The blue and orange of the man's clothing were glowing brightly until the point that they hid the man. Gohan shook his head and focused. He had tried to fly like that one person from before, and he actually had hovered over the ground, but that was all he could accomplish.

He couldn't get up anymore than that yet, so he pushed his body to reach the disaster he undoubtedly would run into. He reached the city where those monsters were, and he skidded along the streets, making a beeline toward the flickering energies. It was necessary that he picked up his pace. He darted into an open area that seemed unmarked by the monsters, and he saw the people running and screaming, going into the direction that he had come from. He swirled around the stampede of people, making his way against the crowd.

A man yelled at him, telling him to run. The man stopped when Gohan continued on his way. The boy's dark eyes were wary, but firm. Gohan would have ushered the man out of the way, but out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a bright light approaching. He whipped himself around and placed his hands over his head, hoping this plan of his worked.

His hands lay on top of one another, and he shouted out to the others. "Get out of here!" He imagined his own energy, locating it from the center of his body and bringing it out of his palm. He noticed the light was getting closer- the _energy blast_ , his brain finally came up with what it was called. He tried to concentrate, but the blast headed straight for him, and he couldn't stop the fears from surfacing.

At the last second, he turned around to cover as many people as he could. The blast struck him in the back, causing him to bite back a scream. There were enough screams already. As the smoke began to clear, another blast whizzed across the sky to Gohan's right, aimed for the citizens heading for the other way. Gohan headed straight toward the monsters, only pausing when another blast destroyed the people; everything went airborne, excluding Gohan. Gohan glanced down at his tightly clenched hands, anger coursing through him.

He searched for any survivors, attempting to sense any of their energies, but unfortunately, he found none. Also, it just happened that the blonde and black-haired monsters had no energies, which Gohan found peculiar somewhat. A masculine voice froze him in his spot, "Hey, it's the little kid with the tail- or should I say, without the tail."

Gohan clenched his jaw and glared at the ground. He wished he could sense their energies, but if they didn't have energies, what were they? Were they simply bad-natured all together, or were they not even humans at all? He wasn't sure which idea he drifted toward because he could tell the two were approaching.

His eyes traveled up to meet up with the black eyes of the other boy. He shifted into a wide stance, arms up. "Ready for round two, monster?" His voice remained calm and even, despite the dread that rose up in his throat.

The other boy turned to the blonde with a wicked look. Without saying anything, the girl shrugged and stepped back. Now, Gohan was trying to hold back the shakes of his shoulders, eventually succeeding. He ignored his brain's pleas to run. He didn't even blink, and the other boy struck him in the face, and he rolled along the ground.

Reaching his feet, he got ready again, dashing forward at the gesturing older male before him. He aimed a punch for the other's head with an expressive yell, but instead of just using just his hands, his leg shot up. His heel connected with the other's jaw and sent him backward a bit. The accomplishment went unnoticed by the youngest as his rage took over and called the shots.

Wildly, he used all of his energy, barely touching the other, who definitely had no problem beating the crap out of the small boy. A soft yell escaped Gohan's mouth when the other had disappeared, reappearing only to whip Gohan with the back of his hand. He fell through a window of a store, which the whole thing ended up coming down on him.

The other boy followed without hesitance, and before Gohan could right himself, a kick knocked the wind out of him. Another foot collided with his chest once more. Gohan gasped out in painful wheezes as he shot through the air. He had to stop himself before he hit- and he smashed into something that could have been a wall, now it was mere rubble. He pushed off a large piece and rose to his feet, legs and body sagging a bit.

His eyes darted across the sky, but he couldn't pinpoint where the other was until the blonde's voice sounded from behind him. "Let me help you." Her one hand snatched Gohan, while the other was drawn back. " _Oops_."

Gohan grew really puzzled, his face obviously showed the emotion. " _'Oops,'_ " echoed Gohan, who discovered her reason for saying that too late. He was dropped by the hand, and the other flashed out, flinging Gohan through the air once again. Gohan spun as he felt a kick to his side, and he landed on his chest. His breath left him, and he couldn't breathe another time.

He turned onto his back, chest heaving and his right hand hovering over it.

"Oh man, he's almost finished." Gohan knew far too well already that this was all just a game to the other boy- both of them actually. They didn't care who died, who was miserable, who was hurt; they just wanted to be entertained. They hated the human race, and once again, Gohan was at a complete loss as to why.

"You're fun's over, 17. Just get rid of him already."

"Alright, calm down."

A light came from the other's palm, which was aimed directly at Gohan, and he doubted he could take a hit at this range and walk- or _limp_ \- away from it. He saw an opportunity, and he launched himself toward the other, knocking him down by accidentally head-butting him. A memory surfaced, displaying a young Gohan, surprisingly dressed in the same attire that he was currently in, smashing through some type of armor and knocking the person over, as well.

Gohan jumped to his feet and targeted the blonde, focusing his energy beneath him, and his feet lifted off the ground, and he glared at the blonde, who just observed with a disinterested face. Gohan propelled himself forward, dropping to the ground moments later. He had been distracted. By what, though, was the question. His head maneuvered around to look for the distraction.

A fist invaded his view, and his head whipped back, followed by the rest of his body. Something exploded next to his person, pushing him toward the ground even faster and further along it after that. The pavement, broken pieces of the city, and more rubble slowed him down at the expense of some of his skin.

He hissed a breath through his teeth, eyelids threatening to cover his view. He couldn't give up, something deep and forgotten had told him that he couldn't. He worked his mouth, a warm liquid flowing out of it, and he figured he'd say it was saliva, definitely nothing else. A random fact came up, something about enzymes in saliva that broke down carbohydrates, beginning a process known as digestion.

He furrowed his brow at his mind's outburst. Now wasn't the time for useless information! He willed himself to sit up, studying the approaching figures. His brain kept up with the nonessential facts; unable to stop it, Gohan did his best to focus on the objective at hand. Pictures of complicated math problems sprung into his mind, and he almost screamed in exasperation, but he blinked at the next set of information. There was something he could use! He made it onto his feet, remaining low to the ground. He waited for the right time, hand steady on a rock, _three seconds, two, one. NOW!_ He darted forward, taking out the older boy's feet, sending him to the ground, and Gohan jumped up into the air and threw the rock as hard as he could manage.

Just like he predicted, the blonde moved her head, so the object missed her, but not the thing behind her. A grin hit Gohan's face, and after she looked behind herself, Gohan rushed toward the other boy- _was 17 his name?_ \- and cupped his hands together. He had wanted to hit 17, but got the ground instead. It would have been okay, except the blonde was before him again.

He must have forgot to calculate their speed, and now, she was the one with the smug expression. Her right hand struck Gohan sideways into the object that was supposed to have gone off before the blonde had left the spot that Gohan currently found himself in. Well, he was supposed to make 17 try to blast him or make one himself and hit it.

The _it_ he meant was the gas leaking out of the hole in it. The blonde lifted her hands up, and they began to glow brightly. _Oh, no_ , was Gohan's only thoughts as the blast was fired and came at him. Upon the connection between the gas and the blast, the whole thing combusted in flames and erupted, and Gohan was caught within the inferno.

He couldn't see, but the two others had rose up to the sky and extended their hands down, letting out a barrage of blasts at the flames and the boy trapped within them. They witnessed the loud expressive screams rise, and then they faded. The two didn't stop their attack until a few more minutes, and until the fire was only in patches on the ground. They located the boy's body, which appeared to be moving.

"You gotta be kidding me," muttered the blonde when the two reached ground level and once more they went over to the tailless kid. The body was convulsing, becoming more dramatic when tiny arms stretched out to prop up the twitching body. "Stop fooling around, 17."

Gohan didn't acknowledge the fact that they were just messing around with him, which was probably a good thing. If he did, he most likely wouldn't have the courage to do what he did next. He flew toward the other boy, fist outstretched and connecting with the other boy's cheek, and he flipped up into the air, almost triumphant, but not quite. He stared them down, since he was above them in the air.

He quite liked being higher than them, but with a start, he realized that they could fly too, and they both flashed at him. He didn't stand a chance, especially in his condition. In a matter of milliseconds he found himself back on the ground, rocks somehow on top of him from his impact. His eyes were shut as his breath hitched in his throat.

He couldn't breath again, yet he couldn't roll himself over all the way, only making it to his side. Something touched the ground; Gohan heard it, and he was filled with horror. He had to get up, but he was still twitching. He pushed against the ground with his face, one eye opened, while the other firmly closed.

He was about to raise his head, but he was prevented by a foot. Muffled voices reached his ears, and he groaned, unable to even keep one of his eyes open anymore. The foot slipped off his head, and he barely heard 17 and the blonde shuffle around on their feet.

The two were talking, and another voice joined in, making Gohan's hand twitch and reach out to grab hold of a heavy piece of rock and lift himself up. He didn't want this person to end up dead either. He wasn't going to allow it. He could no longer hear voices, just a sound that resembled wind by his ear. His dark eyes took forever to get a glimpse at the newcomer, and he pinched his brows together.

This person looked familiar, but Gohan couldn't place him, and Gohan wouldn't get a chance to think about it. His body crumbled to the ground, back on his side facing away from the fight, and without his permission, his body shut down.

He had passed out.

. . . .

The teen had reached the ground, and he immediately noticed the bloody form off to the side. He couldn't take it. The Androids had absolutely no respect, even for the dead! His eyes flickered back to the form, and he realized something. It was still moving.

The bloody form was living, and he double checked. Yes, alive, but barely, and oddly, he could have sworn he knew that energy signature. He pushed it off to gain the Androids' attention, so he called out to them. "Androids! Why don't you pick on someone else for a change?" He quickly ascended to super saiyan and glared. "You always kill, and now I'm going to take you out for good!"

"Is that a joke, kid?" Android 18 cocked a brow in his direction.

"Yeah, last time I checked, you didn't stand a chance." Android 17 glanced sideways at his sister with a smirk. "I call him this time."

"Hmph, whatever." She would have continued, but the bloody body from before held her attention. "He has got to be more fun than this one."

"Oh c'mon, 18, he lasted awhile, even after that explosion that he tried to set off on you."

The female crossed her arms, not commenting on the subject, and she used her foot to lift up the bloody body's head. When her face contorted into one of disgust, she dropped the head, wiping the blood on the hat that still remained on the boy's head.

17 watched the interaction between his sister and the child. Clearly, the child was dead, or at least close to it. He bet that she wished to leave, now that 17 was hogging all of the fighting, but what he didn't know was that she was going to cut in after a few minutes. 17 turned toward the super saiyan, who locked his pale green eyes on the child.

The teen felt as if he knew this person, but that was impossible. The ones that he truly knew was his mother and his master, Gohan… This child just felt so dang familiar. He replayed people that he had met, starting at the beginning of his life- at least when he remembered to know them- and making his way to the ones he currently met. He hesitated when he studying the form again. It couldn't be, could it?

A whisper escaped his lips, "Gohan?" No, Gohan was dead, but then why did addressing this _stranger_ as Gohan feel _right_? His fingers closed, hands in fists now. And Gohan was much other, and taller than that! He focused on the energy, which was almost nonexistent now. _Why does it feel like Gohan then?_

It didn't matter, all he wanted was to get that kid out of there, even if he could never be his mentor. The kid needed help, and he appeared to be running out of time! The teen didn't let the Androids react as he dodged around the side of 17 and collided with 18 to force her out of the way. He grabbed hold of the boy and ran off to wait for a clean getaway. He traveled on foot as swiftly as he dared.

He made sure not to look at the immobile bundle in his arms. _Please, Mom, be ready when I get there._

. . . .

Gohan felt trapped; he was suffocating. He tried to scream, but he couldn't even hear it. He couldn't find the strength to move, and it was so dark, and so cold at that. He searched for a light in the darkness; seeing it in the distance, he approached it cautiously. When he got close enough, he saw two figures near it, and Gohan backed away.

He turned and dashed back toward the black, glancing over his shoulder.

"Hey look sis, tailless boy."

"Let's just end him."

"HELP, HELP US, ANYONE, PLEASE, SOMEONE DO SOMETHING- ANYTHING, DON'T LEAVE, SOMEONE, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," screams filled Gohan's head, followed only by explosions and silence. He looked back as he heard two voices ask, "Where are you going now?" The two voices laughed in sync with one another. The voices blended together, and Gohan rushed away from them.

Their laughter followed him as if they were right next to him; he heard their taunts- he heard everything. He continued his run even if he was light-headed and ready to just surrender. The screams started up again, and he clenched his hands over his head. "Gohan," a whisper intruded through the screams. "My baby, come back home…"

"This is my son, Gohan." Another louder voice, yet still soft and welcoming, rose over the screams. The voice was shattered when another voice broke through.

"Gohan! Attack NOW!"

"GOKUUUU! HELP ME!" A horror-stricken voice found its place right after. An explosion erupted directly after, and Gohan screamed out- once again his voice didn't reach out to his own ears, just everyone else's. His feet stumbled along the darkness just as yet another voice hissed out.

"Pathetic, brat."

Gohan shook his head, and he tripped over something that immediately disappeared after he tripped on it. " _Run_ ," the darkness seemed to whisper out to the scared boy. He gazed over his shoulder, and his eyes widened even more. The screaming intensified, pleading with him to return back, to save them, to not let them die. They didn't want to perish; they didn't want to have to face this.

Gohan's hands grew cold as he stood there, eyeing the approaching wall of flames. He clenched his eyes closed when the wall grew closer, and… He couldn't do it! He ran the other way, all the while hearing the voices telling him to come back, wanting him to face it. They needed him; Gohan could sense it. He just couldn't do it. He was too afraid, so he left the fire behind and kept going. He turned over his shoulder another time and regretted it. The fire was gone, but the two monsters were there again, nearly three yards away and closing in.

They moved together, side-by-side, and in unison they smirked. "We hope your not leaving so soon." The two voices were together again. They stopped together and drew up their hands at the same time. "Think your way out of this," snarled the duo, and a sound signaled the combined blasts zooming toward him.

Gohan increased his speed, desperately searching for something to save _him_. His mind went blank. _Save him… Save him…_ Those two words resonated off the hidden walls, and he smacked face-first into one of those supposed walls.

 _Save.. him... Save him.. Save HIM, SAVE HIM SAVEHIMSAVEHIM! Save them_ , Gohan gritted his teeth as he repeated the last part. _Save them_ , and he would. He whipped himself around, facing the blast head on, opening his arms wide. "I won't stand by and let you hurt them- I won't let you hurt any of them." He glanced toward the wall that was behind him, only to find a crowd of cowering people there.

He looked back at the blast heading his way, and he embraced it as he came. He wouldn't let them die because he was too scared. The bright light surrounded him completely, and it started to peal away at his clothes and skin. He twirled in the air as he allowed the light to take him with it across the darkness.

Soon he met with another darkness, but this one was different. He wasn't met with accusing voices or tortuous laughter. It was just silence, and he wasn't so sure that he liked the silence very much either. Luckily, he heard a faint sound to his right. It beeped at him. _Beep… Beep… Beep…_

He gently pried his eyes open and looked to see a ceiling above him. He heard a small commotion to his left. Turning his head a fraction of an inch, he was met with two pairs of similar blue eyes. His eyes wavered, but the two pairs of eyes seemed to brighten, and both of the blue-eyed people migrated closer to him.

"Gohan," the woman said, relief evident in her voice. "Thought we lost you there, kid."

Gohan was about to ask how she knew his name, but when he really looked at her, another woman took her place, blue hair changing along with the outfits she wore, and the woman that stood before him appeared at last. The other one stepped forward. "Mother, I swear I thought he-"

"Trunks, you should be apologizing to Gohan, you're the one that brought him here."

The young boy face went blank when the teen- Trunks- bowed his head, and said. "I'm sorry, Gohan. I didn't know you were in the time machine. If I did, I'd never…" His voice trailed off, eyes filled with an emotion that Gohan couldn't place.

Gohan furrowed his brow in confusion from the look and whatever a "time machine" was, and they seemed to interpret the look differently than what he wanted to portray because the woman hurriedly picked up the conversation. "Don't worry though, you'll be-"

Gohan gasped out as he sat up in a hurry, and the two immediately placed him back down.

"Don't push yourself, you need to rest," the woman gently scolded. "You definitely need a good week of rest."

Gohan shook his head, despite the pounding that came from the shake. "I… I…" He attempted to form the words.

"No need for thank yous, Gohan. You're always welcomed here." The woman added.

Trunks gave him a smile, which he didn't return. In fact, he frowned and tried again. "I…" He swallowed. "Not to be mean, miss, but who… are you exactly?"

The woman laughed. "Oh don't kid, Gohan. You must recognize me from somewhere. Who do I look like?" She turned to the side in a mock pose, hoping for some sort of smile or exclamation of recognition. The boy was smart after all. Chi Chi definitely wanted to make sure of that.

Gohan observed the woman before him. He did recognize her, but didn't at the same time. He glanced at his sheet-covered feet. "I'm sorry, I do not know you… I don't recognize either of you." He bit the inside of his cheek and closed his eyes. He didn't wish to see their reactions. After some time, the woman's soft voice spoke up.

"Did you hit your head at all?"

Gohan's eyes opened, and his eyes landed on the opposite wall. "When I came here…" He wasn't sure if he should tell them anything. A shaky breath followed as he moved to see the two others in the room. They were not judging, neither were they very threatening. They seemed to genuinely care about him, so he finished. "I couldn't remember anything- not people or where I even lived. I tried to find them, only finding a place that was familiar, but I never found anyone or anything other than that." He averted his eyes halfway through his short speech.

Trunks and his mother shared a look. His mother started to speak. "Well, you can stay here for as long as you want."

Trunks nodded his head and said. "And you'll regain your memories before you know it." He smiled at the boy, who fidgeted somewhat. Trunks obviously didn't know that his mother was worried about the fact that Gohan hasn't regained his memory yet, and the lack of familiar things were not helping, and that she also had no clue what the boy had been through already.

"Ah- Uhm, thank you." The young boy shifted his face up with a small smile. He knew he had made the right choice in telling them. He opened his mouth to thank them yet again, but he fell asleep before the words could come out.

Joined without nightmares, he slept, rather peacefully- or a drug induced peaceful one in the very least.

* * *

 _ **(Next Time: There's Still Good in this Future**_

 _ **Gohan hangs around Bulma and Trunks for a bit.**_ _ **The story gets a little better around Chapter 5 or so, at least in my opinion. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned for the next one will ya readers?)**_

Cruzerblade: Thanks for the support on the story. Sorry for the small interaction between the three of them; you probably wished it was longer.


	4. Chapter 4

_**(Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.)**_

 **Chapter 4: There's Still Good in this Future**

Gohan, after just a few days of entire sleep, awoke one morning, and he withdrew himself from the blankets and reached the door. He quietly opened it and stepped through. He closed it behind him and walked toward the sounds that were emanating down the small hallway. He passed by two other doors before he reached the kitchen where the woman from earlier stood, juggling pots and pans that seemed ready to collapse onto the unsuspecting woman.

The tower swayed, and Gohan came off the ground a bit and placed one hand on the tilting side to stop the rest from falling. The woman chuckled lightly, almost concealed by stack of dishes. "Oh thanks, Trunks." Her face came into view from one side, and Gohan sheepishly smiled at her.

"Mor-Morning, Miss."

"Oh, _OH!_ " With the help of Gohan, the dishes were set on the table, and she finally turned to the boy. "You're up early. Didn't I say, a 'week of rest?'" She joked lightly.

Gohan's feet went back to the ground, and he shrugged. "How long has it been?"

"Three days, but I didn't expect you to wake up and move around like that for another couple of days." She waved her hand after glancing over the apparent burn-free boy. "You saiyans," she smiled, fondly.

 _Saiyan? What was that?_ Gohan didn't question her about that, but he did wonder why she let him sleep that long. He looked around the small kitchen, then up at the woman who sorted through the dishes.

"Anyways, since you're up, you can eat breakfast with us. Trunks should be up soon. Why don't you go and make sure he's awake?"

Gohan smiled tightly at her as she turned to the small stove. He didn't have to nod for her to tell him that Trunks' room was the first door. Gohan walked toward the door and knocked. There was merely a groan on the other side. "A few more minutes," came a soft reply, most likely being muffled by a pillow from the sound of it.

"Uhm… Trunks? I'll tell your mother that you're up."

"Mh…" _Wait._ Trunks straightened up. _Gohan?_ "Gohan! Wait up!" He scrambled up to his feet and basically threw the door open, startling Gohan a bit.

Gohan looked away from the bright smile thrown his way, and he led the way back to Trunks' mother, who glanced at them over her shoulder with a teasing gleam to her eyes. "Morning, boys."

"Morning, Mom," Trunks replied as he sat down in a seat, moving another for Gohan to sit in. Gohan thanked him and took the seat, sitting rather rigidly in it. Trunks' eyes rested on the boy and discovered that he started to compare him to his mentor. It was actually quite a punch to the face really.

He could see Gohan, yet Gohan remembered nothing of him, even forgetting about Trunks' arrival in his timeline. He just couldn't believe Gohan was here, alive and well. His lips pulled down in a frown, forcing him to glance away from the boy. The fact that Gohan was _here_ all this time, and he didn't find him, was really gnawing at him. Trunks frown deepened. "Mom, when do you think Gohan can leave?"

She stopped and brought up a spatula. "I don't know. The damage done to the time machine was extensive. Plus side, we know what caused it." She winked at Gohan, who blushed. He guessed that she meant him. He was about to apologize for it, but the woman waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I'll have all fixed up in no time."

Gohan nodded and stared at the plate already set on the table.

"Oh, Trunks."

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you take Gohan around after breakfast, see if he can remember anything?"

Trunks turned to Gohan. "How about it, Gohan?"

Gohan gave the older one a smile. "Sounds fun."

At that, Trunks' face brightened. His mother smiled and went back to cooking. After the cooking was finished, they all sat around the table, ate, and talked- well the two family members did. Gohan remained silent as he gingerly ate. This was definitely different than living by himself and fending off wild animals from his food. That part wasn't the worst part; it was more of the unknowing and loneliness that followed after dark.

Gohan was the last to finish, and as he stood up to hand the woman the dishes, he looked at the mass amount and offered, unwisely, "Would you like me to do the dishes?"

The woman blinked her blue eyes at him, and she smiled. "You're the guest here, not me, silly." It was probably a good thing that she told him no because he'd probably end up destroying all of the plates on accident.

The boy nodded, and he went toward his seat again.

"Before you two go out, Gohan, there's some clothes on your bed. You might want to change."

Gohan rubbed the back of his neck at the rags that were his clothes. "Yes, ma'am." He left the room after thanking the woman for breakfast, which was possibly the third time, but she didn't really mind.

. . . .

Gohan eyed the clothes before him and wrinkled up his nose at the white garment with its slight ruffles and complicated looking design. He tilted the shirt and tried to put it over his head, somehow managing to put his head in the arm hole and have to take it off for the third time.

 _ **(AN: the white shirt is almost identical to what Gohan wore before the Cell Games, but with a few ruffles on the sleeves.)**_

Finally, he got the shirt settled, and he put on the black pants, grabbing the white socks next. After everything was on, including the black shoes that were oddly pointed slightly, he left the borrowed room and went out to meet Trunks. They were going to have a little journey around the city, which Gohan could only expect to see shambles and destruction for miles- like normal for these places.

. . . .

They had walked around the abandoned city for most of the day, and nothing was familiar, other than the parts he saw when he first arrived. Trunks started up a conversation several times about the unmarked parts of the city. Yeah, surprisingly, there were a few untouched by the monsters, which was never once mentioned by the two boys. Gohan was totally okay with that. They were presently walking in a comfortable silence, just listening to the birds and feeling the light breeze.

Trunks' eyes darted to Gohan, who watched the surroundings intently and curiously. His blue eyes looked the other way again, only to shift back to Gohan, who noticed this time. Gohan lightly smiled. "This place is pretty nice, right here." He gestured his arms around.

Trunks inclined his head slightly. "Yeah, Mother loved this place, too. She said she'd come here for hours and just sit and write down ideas." He glanced up at the blue sky. "She once said, that at night, this place seems to glow."

"Probably with the illumination of the stars. No trees to cover overhead, so more light."

Trunks blinked at him. Gohan shrugged a shoulder slightly, which stung, but he wasn't going to tell anyone that. He'd be fine later.

"Sometimes I remember things." Gohan continued walking, ending up taking the route back to Trunks' house. By the time they neared it, though, Gohan could barely breathe again, yet he hid the weakness from Trunks, even to the point of holding his breath for a long period of time, which wasn't really smart. They made it inside just as Trunks' mother called out from another hallway that was next to the hallway with all the rooms.

"Boys, I'm in here, bring some batteries will ya!"

Trunks yelled back. "Be right there!" He went to a drawer and pulled out the last two batteries. Both boys traveled down the other hallway, the one that Gohan never really noticed before. They went into the first room, which turned out to be just one large one. Sitting at a computer screen, the woman sighed. "Darn it, this thing is junk." She clicked a button, and the computer beeped back at her in response. She made a face at it. "I should have brought the other one instead of this." She shook her head in frustration and typed something on the keyboard, which resulted in letters coming to the screen and images flipping onto it as well. To others, no one would be phased, but to Gohan, who lived by himself in the wilderness, it was something akin to magic. He hesitated to move when the woman typed some more, zooming in on an area.

She exhaled loudly, retrieving the batteries from Trunks' hand. Trunks glanced over her shoulder and asked. "Something wrong with the Time Machine?"

She gave her son a tired smile. "Not really, just a few tweaks here and there." She paused to place the batteries in another foreign object, to Gohan at least, beside her. Now that thing peeped, signaling that it was turning on. _Booting up_ , Gohan read. "Everything we need should be at the house."

Gohan tilted his head. "We're not at your house?"

The woman snickered. "Well, we're at one of the houses."

"How many do you have, then?"

The woman's grin grew wider. "As many as we want." She couldn't help but pick on the young ignorant Son. It was not very easy to put anything past Gohan nowadays, even back then he would get what someone was referring to. She had to seize the chance to see Gohan blink and seem genuinely bewildered.

"What are you implying," he questioned softly, eyebrow raising at the strange woman. The woman went to tease him even more, but her son placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe we shouldn't pick on him any longer." She faked annoyance at his statement. He turned toward Gohan and said. "We live in this house because it's safer than the other one; this place is more camouflaged than the other…" He trailed off, losing Gohan even more.

Gohan's dark eyes traveled to the abandoned computer with the contraption still presently on the screen. "You mentioned a 'time machine' before, what does it normally do?"

The two family members looked at each other. The woman chose to speak up. "It can send someone to the past from the future and back again."

Gohan nodded, studying the layout on the screen closely. "Who are those two… siblings that keep killing everyone?"

Once more, the two older ones in the room shared a look, both uneasy. They refused to respond, so Gohan straightened. He observed the dark room for a second.

"I could only guess they are brother and sister, maybe I'm wrong." Gohan moved his long spiky hair out of the way of his eyes. "Do you know who they are? Because I only know that one's named '17.'" If he hadn't heard the blonde address the other as 17, then he would have thought they were pulling his leg. 17 wasn't the greatest name for a kid, no wonder why they appear to have a great frustration toward humans.

"They're Androids," Trunks' voice nearly gritted out. "They always terrorize and destroy-"

The woman tried to comfort her son, eyes worried, making her seem even older. "It's alright, Trunks." She understood her son's grief much more than he'd ever know. She knew what was making him so emotional, especially now with a younger Gohan standing beside them. It was Gohan no matter what.

Trunks clenched both his eyes and his hands. "They'll get everything in their path… I can't even stop them; I've tried, _Gohan_ tried. It was _useless_!" Hot tears slipped out of Trunks eyes as he opened them to lock eyes with Gohan's. All of a sudden, Gohan's eyes sparked in recognition, and his eyes grew bigger.

Trunks' blue eyes corresponded with Gohan's soon after he realized what was said. "Gohan, I'm-"

Gohan gave a curt nod. "It's fine, I half expected there would have been another me somewhere." He turned back to the screen, muscles tensed. "I'm sorry for mentioning them."

Trunks wiped his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something that would make Gohan feel better, but he was at a lost for words on the subject, as was his mother. "Well… The Androids- 17 and 18- were created for a specific purpose." He didn't want to tell the other about the reason, so he opted to forget it for the moment.

"They don't like being told what to do," commented the woman, who was clicking on a mouse.

"And they also have been running around Earth since I was young. No one was able to stop them, yet." Trunks paused, waiting for Gohan's reaction. He received none, and he was honestly nervous at what the boy was thinking.

Gohan turned his eyes to Trunks. "You thought that someone from the past could help you?"

Trunks inclined his head in answer to his question. Basically, they were relying on Goku's help, so to answer Gohan's question, it would be a yes.

He saw Trunks emotions within his eyes, swirling and sad. He presented Trunks with a strained smile. "Who knows, it might work. Someone must be stronger than 18."

"18," the others questioned.

"Yeah, she's stronger than 17, haven't you noticed?" Gohan's brow knitted together when they didn't move. The tight smile returned. "It's hard to tell when they're working together." It was hard to calculate their movements let alone who was doing the action.

The sadness evaporated from Trunks' face as he chuckled lightly, breaking the silence. "Only you could know who was stronger so easily."

Gohan fidgeted, knowing that he was most likely thinking about the other Gohan. He changed the subject, commenting about where the house they lived in was located. "Why did you choose this place, out of everywhere else?"

The woman decided to speak up. "It's the one most in tact from the Androids' attack, and it's located in one of the biggest cities."

"Oh, so you wanted to hide, and from what I see, the Androids destroy one place then move on to the next, so they won't come back."

The woman smiled. "Exactly."

Gohan returned the smile back, bigger than usual, but not quite full of happiness. He was glad that things were starting to make sense- not really, just more than before.

. . . .

They had separated, so they could sleep. Everyone laid in their rooms, in their beds, and waited for sleep to come over them. Gohan found himself staring at the ceiling in deep concentration. He discovered that he couldn't fall asleep, so he just thought.

He thought about the memories he received, thinking about the people as if they were truly there. He pictured them and had them move around, yet no sound came through. He frowned, flopping to his side. He contemplated about the place he found himself in. According to the blue-haired, blue-eyed woman, this was the future. The future that was destined to happen. Gohan pushed himself up to sit, hands running through his long hair, which just continued to grow and get in the way.

His mind drifted back to the future. _No one was able to stop them_ , rang through his head, and he let out a shaky breath. _I've tried, Gohan tried._ Gohan could only deduce that the other him had failed, from Trunks' outburst and the way that the future was seemingly missing this other Gohan. He stood up and paced the room.

The other him must have died. His pacing increased almost to the point of running along the width of the room. What about the people in his memories; did they suffer the same fate? Was this truly their future? Gohan slumped back onto the bed, spread out enough to cover over half of the bed. He clenched the sheets in his hands just as his breathing became labored for no reason. His left hand gripped the white fabric above his heart as he panted loudly.

His breathing returned normal, but brought forth chest pains. Soon the pain subsided, but Gohan was still nowhere close to sleeping. Unanswered questions flew around in his brain, begging for answers. He closed his eyes, trying to push out the questions and empty his mind. He nearly accomplished that, but an image of a human-sized reptilian guy- or what Gohan thought was as male, even if he wasn't too sure of the creature's gender- appeared. The being was literally white-colored, purple, pink, with some gold mainly along his forearms and the bottom part of his legs, and he had black-colored horns. A tail thumped beside him, (pretty in) pink and purple. An annoyed look was on the being's face as he raised a finger high up. A tiny ball of orange hovered over the finger, immediately growing in size. Gohan blinked, and now it showed the being in the same position as before, only this time he was only purple and white. Also, his horns were completely gone.

Yet, the tail remained, now pure white. The annoyed expression morphed into a deep hatred as the orange ball of energy flashed in Gohan's direction. Gohan snapped forward in a cold sweat, and he gulped slightly. He didn't remember falling asleep, but he could tell he indeed drifted off for a bit. He slid back under the covers, waiting for something else to happen. _What's next_ , he could have laughed if he could see the future.

No, he would have probably stopped himself from thinking such thing, if only he could have.

. . .

Gohan awoke in the morning, after many times finding himself ripped away from his nightmares, which never always started out bad. Sometimes they were fair, then they'd sour when you least expect it to. He set his feet on the floor, hands rubbing his head, waiting to get rid of the shakiness. When he calmed down, he went toward the kitchen. No one was up, so Gohan went back to his room, listening for someone to wake up.

It took a long time, but Gohan sensed the woman come out of her room and go into the kitchen. He heard the dishes clinking together, and he knew he was alright to go out and join her, which he did. They greeted each other, the other one told him good morning before the quiet boy could properly sit down. He responded with a morning in return and a faint smile.

A silence hung over them both. Unlike the ones with Trunks, Gohan became stressed and uncomfortable. The female between the two of them started up a conversation. "So, Gohan, how did you…" She stopped herself and didn't continue.

"How'd I survive, you mean?"

"Yeah, I'm just curious, since you know, it's been weeks since you've reached the future." She occupied herself with the frying pan, every once in a while glancing over to Gohan as she spoke.

"Of course. I lived far away from the cities, up where only animals live. I mainly ate nuts that I found, but I caught fish a few times, so I was fine."

"Hm, sounds like you can handle yourself," she smiled over at him.

Gohan shifted, nervous. He'd received so many happy expressions from these two people in two days; it was slightly unnerving. He wasn't used to it at all, being on his own and not remembering anything would do that to someone.

She went back to cooking. Randomly, she announced, "I have a ton of books. If you want to read them, then go into the lab- where the computer was. There's a whole book shelf there."

"Uh-"

"Unless you don't want to?" _Can he even read?_ She studied the boy out of the corner of her eye.

"That would be great." Gohan's eyes lit up some, and he thanked her before he rushed off. He reached the bookshelf and read through the titles on the spine. He was excited to pick one of these up because, for some reason, he thought he should. He picked two out and returned to the kitchen table. He put one on the table and kept another in his hand.

He started with the first page. By the time Trunks was out of his room, the food was finished, and they were all seated, Gohan was half-way through the first book. He placed the books underneath his seat and grabbed hold of the plate to move it forward. They ate, and Gohan just nodded or shook his head as he listened. Trunks and his mother went on about machines and technology that Gohan was practically spinning in circles to wrap his head around it all. They were definitely smart.

It was obvious that if anyone could build a machine that actually travels through time, it would be them. Gohan smiled, truly smiling at the two that he came across. He wasn't angry about being sent into the future; he had met these two, so it was okay, despite death hugging every corner, waiting for you to look away so it could grab hold of you. The frown resurfaced on Gohan's face at the destructive monsters- _Androids_ , he corrected himself.

After breakfast, the woman sent out her son and Gohan to see the other parts of the city. She promised that lunch would be ready for them when they returned. The threat was silent, but still there. They were expected to come home at noon.

They walked along, side-by-side, yet Trunks seemed in a much better mood, pointing things out with vigor. Trunks must have been excited or something, shouting without actually meaning too. Gohan smiled faintly. "What was in that food." He thought he could tease Trunks, so he did.

Trunks' cheeks went bright red. As he stared at the ground in embarrassment, Gohan began to regret the decision to poke fun at the teen.

He stammered out. "Tr-Trunks- I-" He went over to him and went to get his attention.

Trunks gently pushed his hands away, while he grinned. "Who knows, maybe my mother gave me the wrong drink instead."

Gohan flashed a quick smile back. They went back to sauntering through the ruins in peace. Neither one of them said anything. The only sound that was heard was the crunch of their shoes on the littered ground. Trunks suddenly said. "Hey, there's a neat place in the next city. Want to go have a look?"

Gohan shrugged.

"We'll have to fly there."

Gohan paused. He _could_ fly, but he wasn't certain he could keep up with the level of flying that Trunks must have. Gohan nodded. "Let's go."

They took to the air.

. . . .

The " _place"_ was some type of carnival, and it was quite interesting to the young boy. He haven't seen anything like it, or he didn't think he did. They were on their way back from there when _it_ all happened.

* * *

 _ **(Next Chapter: Memory and Action**_

 _ **Who can guess what happens in that chapter? -Next chapter will be put up within a week if I get a chance to post it.)**_

Reviews:

MiraiSix (Guest): I apologize for the confusing start, and I'm glad you're interested so far.


	5. Chapter 5

_**(Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Thanks all of you readers, followers, people who gave favorites, and reviewers.)**_

 _ **Chapter 5: Memory and Action**_

Both of them felt the ground shudder and a building collapsed to their left. Trunks rushed ahead to a store where a television sat on display, broadcasting a cartoon series. Gohan caught up with him and tilted his head at Trunks' intense look at the TV.

The cartoon was cut off by a loud reporter yelling over sounds of chaos. "We're in the Eastern part of the city, where two people are running rampant. Our police force has reached the scene."

"We're saved," cheers erupted from the other side of the camera. Trunks' eyes narrowed at the scene unfolding beyond their reach.

"We're safe folks!" The reporter shouted in glee, completely unaware of the mass explosion directly behind him, starting next to the police and ending where the cameraman was. The screen faded and turned to static. Trunks clenched his hands.

"Gohan, go back to my mother. I'll handle this." He forced out the sentences, trying to control his anger.

"No, Trunks, you said it yourself-"

"GO, Gohan! I don't want to lose my best friend _AGAIN_!" With that, Trunks stormed off, zooming in the air toward the Androids' positions. He clenched his teeth as he flew. He wasn't going to allow Gohan to get killed again. He couldn't bare it; the first time was hard enough. He frowned deeply. _It's my turn to protect you, Gohan._ His face instantly became determined, hair changing to the blond color and teal eyes coming forth from the transformation.

He touched down near the Androids, ready for a fight. Somehow, they already managed to decimate the city. The two Androids directed their attention to the blond. "I call blondie this time," Android 18 said as she stepped forward.

17 shrugged. "Go ahead, see if I care. Just don't ask for my help." He stood by, watching the events unfolding. 18 was the first to attack, flying straight into Trunks. Trunks was whipped back, but he recovered enough to evade a sharp blow to the side. Trunks caught the girl in the shoulder just as she missed the blow to his side. However, 18 was infuriated with the punch, to the point that she used all her strength in one hit.

That hit struck on the crown of Trunks' head, and he flashed into the ground. Trunks groaned faintly, but reached his feet and shot forward again. "Why you!" 18 growled out and sent a blast out of her palm, which was deflected- barely- by Trunks. Trunks' fist aimed for her head, but only caught air. He jumped around just as 18's hand slammed him in the chest. He immediately collided with a pole that had been completely unharmed before; now it was snapped in two.

Trunks got to his feet and went forward again. He dodged 18's hand, but his legs were swiped out from underneath him, and 18 easily took advantage of that and lashed out a right hook, shoving him far away.

18 glared at her brother. "Stay out of this, 17. I have this."

17 raised a brow at his sister. "You sure? You seem be taking a lot of hits."

18's gaze heated up more. "Enough 17. Why can't I do the same thing you always do, huh?"

17 merely shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms. "Carry on then." He stepped back just as Trunks shot up into the sky and rushed 18 another time.

18 sighed, dodging each of Trunks' fists. "How can you ever think this is fun anymore?"

17 laughed. "He's spent already. Must be the clothes. He's not wearing his usual clothes. You know clothes, right? I'm right, aren't I? So is it his clothes then?"

18 ignored the annoying and smug 17 and sent out a knee, which caught Trunks in the stomach. He rolled off the other's leg and kicked her away. 18 narrowed her eyes again. 17 asked with a smirk.

"You sure you don't need help, sis."

"Yes, I'm sure I don't."

"You sure?" 18 turned to glance over her shoulder at the other Android. "It looks like we're going to have some company." His smirk grew bigger as 18 returned the smirk.

"This might get interesting."

Trunks narrowed his eyes at the two. In the air he remained still, knowing something bad was about to come for him. Suddenly, the two Androids flashed at him, both giving him a paralyzing punch to his side. His body whipped through the air, and it only stopped for a moment when 17 grabbed hold of his jacket and threw him toward 18.

Trunks sped toward the girl, unable to stop, and she kicked him up high into the air. Body unfortunately becoming a mere rag doll, Trunks felt 17's elbow at his neck. He yelled out in pain when 18 and 17 seemed to continuously bat him back and forth. "Having fun yet," asked 17 with a shit-eating grin as 18 flicked her hair out of her eyes and stated.

"Hmph, _now_ I am." Both Androids disappeared from Trunks' view, and in the next second, he barreled toward the ground. The ground was rushing at him as he spun in the air. Closer, and closer yet, the ground approached Trunks. When Trunks hit, his vision grew dim and red. He closed his eyes, mouth open and teeth clenched. He caught the sound of feet hitting the ground next to him, but that was all.

The Androids, no doubt, were standing above him. He inhaled sharply at the pain, which made him lose consciousness.

. . . .

Gohan had stared after Trunks, body numb. He probably should have went to the teen's mother, but Gohan raced after Trunks instead. The young boy knew that Trunks still stood no chance in defeating the Androids, and even if he was majorly anxious about seeing the two siblings, he couldn't leave Trunks to get hurt. He was part of the other people after all. He promised he wouldn't let any of them get harmed.

He followed the other, touching down to the ground a little away from the fight. He was close enough to watch everything, but he couldn't quite listen to their interactions. They were far too quiet. He sneaked along the ruins, hiding behind a piece of wall on the other side from where he first landed. Behind him, he had seen four buildings that appeared to be mostly in tact, except for a few gaping holes in each of them.

The first one, all the way to the left- if Gohan wasn't facing it- had a giant hole in its side, but the hole barely reached the bottom of the second floor. He returned his gaze to the escalating fight, and his eyes widened at the scene. Trunks was flying between the Androids as if he was a soccer ball. Gohan clenched his hands, shaking in fury.

The Androids kept kicking and punching Trunks between them, actually enjoying themselves if their laughter was anything to go by. Gohan gritted his teeth, and he bowed his head, arms coming up. His eyes snapped open just as Trunks smashed into the ground. Gohan couldn't let this keep going, soon Trunks wouldn't be able to continue. He was about to run out to help, but a memory hit him.

It showed the spiky haired man from before with a beaming smile. The man in orange and blue put up two fingers, but then his clothing changed to something Gohan would describe as otherworldly. " _Instant Transmission_ ," a voice murmured in his head. Gohan put up his fingers and found Trunks' energy. He didn't know what would occur, but he understood the two words as separates.

He focused on the energy and willed himself over there, picturing standing by the teen's side, preventing the two Androids from advancing. He heard a noise and the wind rushed around him. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, astonished. He appeared in front of the Androids, hands around Trunks immediately upon his appearance. He concentrated on his own energy and brought it out into his hand.

He had to be calm, which was successful, especially when the ball of energy came from his hand and struck the ground beneath Gohan and Trunks, who Gohan had picked up. As the smoke rose up, covering the area, Gohan jumped off, holding securely onto Trunks. He found a spot to place the motionless teen. It was the first building, on the second floor. He placed Trunks on a mat he had randomly seen across the room. Trunks remained quiet, and Gohan sat back on his heels next to the teen, who had obtained back his lavender-colored hair.

In his sleep, Trunks face scrunched up in pain. Gohan hoped the other didn't scream out or say anything because the Androids were still near. The young boy overheard their conversation through bits and parts. 18 was complaining that they got away, while 17 said that it was partially her fault. They argued some more and Gohan heard a piece of 17's sentence. "They couldn't have gotten far…Let's do some potshots…"

"Yeah," 18 agreed. "That worked so well last time," she added sarcastically. Gohan did not like the sound any of that. His dark eyes flickered to Trunks real quick then toward the hole below, where the Androids were close to.

Gohan mouthed, " _Hold on, Trunks."_ He put the teen on his back and jumped to the ground floor and through the window, silent and quick. He sprinted into the next house then out through a hole in its backside. He had to hurry up before the Androids noticed them or attacked to hit them or weed them out of hiding. Gohan darted along the back of the third building.

As he neared the last building, the wind picked up and the sky started to glow brighter. He understood what was going to happen next, and he looked over his shoulder anyway. A half sphere of what could be described as fast approaching energy expanded from the Androids' positions, followed by various blasts shooting up into the air, landing every possible place.

The sphere of energy was gaining on them, so Gohan slipped Trunks off his back and shielded him. The blasts threw them forward, and Gohan made sure to land on his back, rolling up with his left hand before taking to the air. Trunks was back on his back, while Gohan sped the other way, and not necessarily toward the house.

Gohan slowed down when the Androids were out of sight, actually when Gohan was pretty winded. His one hand hovered over his chest as he wheezed. Trunks began to slip, so he hoisted him back on his shoulders and cautiously headed toward one of Trunks' houses. He looked up at the blackened sky; the woman wasn't going to be pleased. Trunks made a noise when Gohan flew quicker, so Gohan slowed down a tad.

. . . .

Eventually, Gohan made it to the front door, and he knocked at it. It opened instantly to reveal a seriously peeved woman. However, at the two boys' conditions, her annoyance was replaced, and she ushered them inside. Gohan placed Trunks in a bed in the back room of the second hallway, as instructed by the one female in the house. While she hooked Trunks up to a machine and surveyed his injuries, Gohan went out of the room.

Gohan stood by the closed door and waited for any news. Hours later, the woman came outside, worry etching her features. She frowned at Gohan without saying a word. The silence was making him uneasy, so he burst out. "How is he?"

She shook her head, shutting the door. "He'll be fine, but apparently, he got hurt last time he fought the Androids and didn't tell me… He'll be asleep for awhile." She must have forgot that this wasn't the Gohan from her time because she mumbled. "If only he'd listen to me, like he listens to you."

Gohan shifted, pretending not to hear her. "So, he'll be up soon. Good."

She gave a sad smile. "Yeah…" It felt as if she was going to continue on the subject, but she just squeezed Gohan's shoulder. "How about you, kid?"

Gohan shook his head. "I didn't fight them," was all he said.

The woman then went out to the kitchen with a slightly dazed look. She went to do the dishes, but she just slumped against the counter. Her bottom lip quivered.

Gohan frowned at the woman. This was such a drastic change from a moment ago. He was about to say something when she sniffed. He blinked, mouth hanging open at the sudden tears. Trunks wasn't dying, was he? He walked up to her and peered at her face. "He'll be fine, won't he?"

"Huh?" She jumped at his voice. "Oh, sorry, Gohan. It's just that…"

Gohan gave her a smile. "You're worried; it's understandable." He waited for her eyes to meet his. "But this is Trunks we're talking about. He'll be walking around tomorrow- maybe even tonight."

The woman's face brightened a bit when she laughed weakly. "Probably. He's stubborn, like his father." She turned to the dishes again. "Thank you, Gohan."

"For what? I just told you what you already knew."

She patted his head and then messed around with the dirty dishes. Gohan watched as she slowly cleaned. He sat at the table, picking up the book that still laid on it. He turned the front page and fiddled with it. For some reason, the woman abruptly let out a noise. "Oh, shoot! I think we need food!"

Gohan honestly had leaped out of his skin at her shouts.

"I'll have to go get some tonight." She flashed a grin at Gohan when he tilted his head in confusion. "Don't worry, I'll be back before Trunks wakes up."

"Should you wait until tomorrow?"

"Nah. It'll be quick; I can just go after I finish." She grabbed another dish and scrubbed.

"I can do that for you." Gohan admitted, placing the book down.

"You sure?" At that, Gohan nodded. The woman nodded back. "Alright." She set the dish down in the sink and wiped off her hands on a towel. "I'll be back soon. Check on Trunks for me." She donned on a jacket by the door. Opening said door, she glanced back. "You boys eat so much more than I realized." She chuckled and gave a wave. "Be good."

The door clicked shut behind her, and Gohan went to the sink. Somehow, he had levitated above the ground as he did up the dishes. He went back to the floor with an embarrassed smile. He checked on Trunks, who was still knocked out. He quietly made his way to the table and read some of his second book.

Flying through the pages, he paused in reading. His eyes went to the clock. Okay, _now_ he was getting nervous. The woman had said that she'd be back soon. _How long was soon?_ Gohan bit the inside of his cheek and went back to the book. He stared at the page, and he shut it after the fourth attempt to pick up with his reading. He removed himself from the chair, eyes still on the clock.

It just ticked by, uncaring and not halting. Gohan ventured to the door and glanced outside. No one was there. Something- _figuratively_ \- grabbed hold of the boy, making him gulp and the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Something was not right. He went out more after he searched the air and ground for any signs of people or, more importantly, Androids. He walked the path, seeing the spot where the Time Machine was hidden, where he had first stepped out of the machine into this future.

He continued a few more steps and his steps faltered. _No… No!_ He rushed to the figure on the ground, kneeling next to the person's head. The blue hair was what caused his heart to clench. Pictures, images, sounds, and voices bombarded him. All of them were of the woman. There was the woman yelling on a blue and green planet, the woman was wearing yellow and black, the woman was also wearing a red striped dress with her hair wildly curled and up in an Afro. More sounds whizzed past, more outfits, and hairstyles, and they all focused on her- on the woman.

On… _Bulma._ Gohan felt his eyes tear up. _Bulma…_ He put his fingers to her neck, and he brought them away when there was no pulse. She was dead, and it was his fault. Maybe, if Gohan hadn't been there, she wouldn't need more food. She would have been inside and safe, not here, meters away from safety. She could have been alive! His teeth clenched as he held back a cry at Bulma's still form.

He messed up the future when he hitched a ride. He should never had been here. He should have left their house as soon as he could. He felt the tears well up in his eyes again. "Bulma," he whispered, wondering if he could have done anything to save her from her death. Of course there was something; there's always something! He could have stopped her or he could have went out instead. He could have done so much.

His body shook as he rolled her over onto her back. He met face-to-face with Bulma. A tear rolled down his face and dropped onto hers. She was dead. That was all he could concentrate on. She was gone. Bulma, through everything, was just gone like that. He leaned over the face that was not moving, hoping the eyes would open, be full of life. Any type of emotion in her eyes would suffice as long as they opened.

Behind him, the crunch of shoes on the gravel brought him away from his thoughts. He released Bulma, putting her gently back on the ground. He stiffly stood, walking toward the other approaching feet. He raised his head, spying Trunks limping over. Gohan stopped, trying to shield Bulma from sight and thinking of something to say.

Trunks' brows creased together as he looked around Gohan. His eyes immediately were round and filled with liquid. "Mother…" The teen wobbled to Bulma on shaky legs, running the last few feet. He slid onto his knees at his mother's side. "Mother. Please… Mom, no…" One tear was all it took to force out the waterfall that followed. "MOM!" He wailed at the top of his lungs, cradling his mother's lifeless body.

Gohan rigidly faced the two- mother and son- Bulma and Trunks.

Trunks just cried, wanting his mother back. He wished _she_ would wake up. He wished _he_ could wake up from this nightmare. The cascading tears flowed onto the deceased woman. He hugged her close. He lost everyone. His best friend, his mother, everyone else before he even managed to meet them. He was alone. The Androids took everyone that he cared about away from him.

Trunks shook his mother a bit. "Mom, you can't die… You can't…" He sniffed and the tears easily slid down the teen's face. _Everyone's gone now…_ The tears became more intense as he stared at the woman before him. "Please- don't-" _Don't leave me!_ He brought his mother close, and the tears refused to stop. "Everyone's gone, you can't leave too!"

Gohan knelt down next to Trunks, putting a comforting hand on his back. He tried to ignore his own feelings. He wanted to cry, but that wouldn't help the situation. "Not everyone's gone, Trunks. Your mother will always be with you."

Trunks cries softened faintly as Gohan continued, voice hollow at some points, but more or less normal.

"She'll want you to live, for her. She wouldn't want you to stay here like this…" He blew out a breath. "Bulma was always a fighter, so you can tell she went out the same way."

Trunks was only sniffing at this point.

"I'll bury her tomorrow, give her a proper place to rest." Gohan stiffened when Trunks turned on him and hugged him tightly. He uncomfortably patted the teen's head and let Trunks cry himself out.

By the time Trunk became silent and Gohan put him inside to rest, the sun was starting to rise in the east. Gohan grabbed a shovel and picked up Bulma. He made sure to hold Bulma with both hands and have the shovel under one of his arms. When he reached the perfect spot, Bulma was placed in the grass, and he began to dig.

He dug a big grave and put her inside. He flew out of the hole; after one last look, he covered his friend. He sat back in front of the grave, shovel between his legs. A frown engulfed his face as he watched the shadows on the makeshift gravestone. The stone appeared to be part of the wreckage of the city, so overhead, the Androids wouldn't know that it was a burial.

Gohan rubbed his eyes, rising to his feet, and putting the shovel against his right shoulder. He stopped and turned back. "I'll protect Trunks, Bulma. I swear on it." With that, he gave a final farewell, leaving a small flower on the grave, and went to the house.

The small white flower's petals blew in the breeze as Gohan left. One broke off and fluttered along the ground.

. . . .

Gohan reached the house without any complications and closed the door after him. He looked around and deemed that Trunks was still fast asleep in his actual room, not the hospital type one. He went to the fridge and checked its contents. Bulma was correct when she said that they needed food, but they did have some things left, so obviously, she did not need to leave last night.

Gohan's stomach twisted, but he pushed away the feelings and grabbed the eggs. There was only three eggs left and some bread- one and a half pieces for breakfast and some other things in the back. He cracked open the eggs and put them on a frying pan. This was the first time he really cooked on a stove, let alone cooking an egg, so he burnt himself a bit. He was pretty sure he almost caught the eggs on fire. He pulled the pan off the stove real fast. He put the definitely fried eggs onto one plate.

He moved onto the bread, placing it in the contraption that he saw Bulma put it in before she… He shoved that out of his mind and focused on the toaster. He used a finger to push down the bread for both sides. He made his way back to the eggs and studied them with a grimace. They weren't the best, and they were not the way they were supposed to be. He shrugged and waited for the bread to toast.

When the bread popped up, he jumped back and flailed around to catch his balance, managing to stay on his feet with help from the counter. He approached the toaster and grabbed the slice of toasted bread with careful movements. The other piece- the half piece- remained inside the toaster, which he gradually went over the toaster to observe it. Unfortunately, it popped up just as Gohan got close enough to see if it was cooking or stuck. He was back up into the air; then somehow on his backside.

He made a face at the toaster, almost annoyed to the point of sticking out his tongue at it, but he didn't. He just rose to his feet and grabbed the piece, unplugging the toaster with a slight glare. He wasn't taking any chances. He was expecting the toast to pop then, kind of; he didn't know what he would do if it popped on him when he wasn't paying attention. He divided the eggs and bread on two plates. After a few minutes, though, he emptied his plate onto the other.

His plate went into the sink, while Trunks' remained at the table. He picked up the plate and went to the teen's room. With a short knock, Trunks opened the door. His eyes were red and puffy, but Gohan didn't comment. He just offered up the plate with a small smile. Trunks blinked at it. After he took the food, Gohan walked back to the kitchen. He retrieved his book and sat in a chair.

Trunks came out minutes later and joined Gohan at the table. They did their own thing in silence- an awkward and tense silence.

Trunks started up a conversation. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome." _Even if it's not that good…_ Gohan replied, eyes on the front cover of his book. The silence flooded the area again; both boys could sense its weight.

Trunks tried to initiate a conversation once more, but he didn't find any words. He just ate in silence, while Gohan stared at the front page, absolutely quiet.

Gohan said softly after around ten minutes of just sitting there, "How's your injuries?"

"Much better than yesterday." The silence was back afterward. This silence was constantly harsh and threatening. Neither boy wanted to break it nor did they want it to continue. They were usually okay with the small chatter or pleasant silences. This one just was not pleasant in any way. "So, you buried my mom?"

Gohan nodded swiftly, and Trunks nodded back at the boy. The silence came back once more. Trunks finished up his totally fried eggs and rinsed off the plate.

"Did you eat?"

Gohan nodded. "I ate before you came out."

"Oh." Trunks slumped back into the chair, munching on the last half-piece of bread. No one spoke again, so the crushing quiet returned to the kitchen.

Gohan put down his book. "It'll probably be best if we take it easy today."

Trunks agreed, nodding and tapping slightly on the table. "I… I'm going to go back to sleep." He stood up.

Gohan nodded. When Trunks went into his room, Gohan traveled to the lab and the back room with the medical supplies. He cleaned up the areas and even made the back room completely bare. He studied the books on the shelf and selected one that may assist him. He skimmed the pages and found a page of great importance. He studied the page, making sure he knew it by heart by the time he was done. Next, he went to search the lab.

. . . .

Trunks woke from his nap, feeling a bit better, but still exhausted. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was one o'clock. He went toward the kitchen to make something, but to his surprise, lunch was on the table and Gohan was doing the dishes. Trunks found a place in front of the food. His stomach growled loudly, and he blushed red, knowing full well that Gohan had heard it.

Gohan just smiled briefly and finished washing. "How's lunch?"

Trunks took a bite. He inhaled the next bite. "Mh-hm, it's good." It was better than breakfast, but not quite the best, or anything close to Trunks' mother's cooking. The silence came back. Trunks ate the rest rather quickly.

"We'll need food soon," commented Gohan out of the blue. He added, "Probably best if we went today, before dark."

Trunks agreed with Gohan full-heartedly. "Yeah, now?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"I'm ready."

They disposed of the dishes in the sink and were outside in a matter of minutes. They walked along the streets, heading toward a nearby city that had stores, well stores that were still working. They grabbed some edible things, even if some things didn't look too healthy or even able to be sold. They paid and headed back toward the house. Gohan had made sure to get some canned food since canned food could last practically forever.

They sorted out the food, putting everything in its designated spot. As Gohan put the last can away, he glanced over at Trunks, whose eyes were downcast and his shoulders were slumped. Gohan shut the cupboard and turned to him. "We should go out. I heard there was supposed to be fireworks tonight."

Trunks shook himself and gazed over at him. A haunted look appeared in Trunks' blue eyes. Gohan grabbed Trunks' Capsule Corp jacket and tossed it over at him.

"Let's go." He said sternly, going to the door and waiting for a stunned Trunks to react.

Trunks hurriedly put on the jacket. "R-Right!" He caught up with Gohan. They walked next to each other, but there was a wide spot between them, acting as some sort of barrier. For a while, the two walked the distance in the same silence that seemed to be around them since the morning until Trunks said. "Gohan…"

He glanced at the teen. "Yes?"

The bright eyes widened. "Why do you have a tail?"

Gohan raised a brow, gazing over his shoulder. Sure as day, there was his tail again. His heart leaped. The brown tail moved without Gohan's permission. He could almost hear Bulma say the same thing as Trunks, but it was why was it back. _So weird._ Gohan shrugged. "It was there when I came to."

Trunks' eyes were locked on the tail in curiosity. He would have remembered if Gohan had a tail at his time, wouldn't he? He also remembered the boy wearing some type of armor, as well, not that outfit when Trunks had saved him from the Androids. He never really worried about it. He just thought Gohan must have picked it up somewhere. He knew nothing else could be at play. He must have been eyeing the tail for a long period of time because when he came back to reality, Gohan looked nervous and his tail would jump to the left every so often.

Gohan shifted just as his tail flicked to the left again. He cleared his throat. "C'mon, let's go before we miss it."

Trunks caught himself staring at the tail a few times and scolded himself for looking. His mother would have told him to stop and that it wasn't nice. His mother used to tell him all the time when his mentor would visit them to stop staring so much at the injuries. Luckily, there wasn't much to really see. They reached the city just as the first firework lit up the sky.

Gohan directed them to the side, so they both could watch without getting hit by a car. Momentarily, Trunks forgot the world's problems, letting his mother's and Gohan's demise out of his head for a bit. He let go of the fighting and just looked at the fireworks. Gohan gave a fleeting smile, glad that Trunks wasn't dwelling on anything bad for the time being.

Gohan leaned against a pole, crossing his arms over his chest, which gave a sudden pain. He concealed his grunt of discomfort and faced away from Trunks. Therefore, the teen couldn't see the pain written on his face. He closed his eyes as his breathing caught. He let out a long exhale, searching the people gathered in the streets. He sensed the alive energies of everyone. He could even picture their happiness and excitement at the show. He was about to stop going over every energy when one disappeared.

Gohan's heart plummeted; another flickered and died. His eyes revealed themselves as he searched for the culprits. He looked around at the people, finding two people unconscious. A few people had gathered around the immobile bodies, not really reacting at first. Gohan's eyes zeroed in at the sky, watching for any movement. _There._ He discovered the two Androids overhead, and he balled his fists. He had to get everyone away, but he didn't know how.

Trunks watched the fireworks continue, not seeing the tension in Gohan's stance. He smiled lightly. "Main finale," he told Gohan as he waited for the explosion of colors that would no doubt appear. When Trunks received no response, he glanced sideways at the boy. What he found made him pause. "Gohan?"

Gohan either didn't listen to him or didn't hear him. His eyes remained transfixed at a spot in the sky. His tail flicked back and forth wildly, Trunks noticed, as his dark eyes narrowed. Trunks moved his eyes along Gohan's view, but discovered nothing.

"Gohan," Trunks repeated.

Gohan didn't look at him, but he finally spoke. "Androids," he stated lowly.

Trunks instantly glared. _"Where?"_

Gohan's eyes flickered to his then back up at the spot. "Above the crowd." He kept his voice down to reduce the amount of attention. Gohan could almost see the Androids hovering above the crowd, waiting for the end. Then, they'd let loose.

. . . .

The two siblings watched the fireworks dim down, and everyone held their breath for the finale. "The Great Finale," 17 grinned.

18 positioned her hands, so her palms were facing the crowd. "Hope they're ready."

"Yeah, their final finale. Something they'll never forget."

"Or have time to forget." 18 added to her brother's statement. The fireworks lit up the sky, and the Androids glanced at each other. Their eyes connected for a moment, and they both shot at the crowd underneath them.

Screams pierced the air, and everyone scurried away- or tried. The Androids broke into sadistic laughter. Then, 17 stopped firing when an elbow struck his cheek. "What the- you again!"

18 glared at the intruder. "You're really getting on my nerves." She advanced toward the golden-haired boy, but something exploded on her shoulder. She whirled around, eyes narrowing in on the boy that tried to point the fleeing people out of harm's way while keeping an eye on the two Androids.

17 attacked just as 18 did, so Gohan couldn't save both the people and Trunks. 18's blast came toward Gohan, and he cupped his hand in an attempt to hit it away, even if it was a bit. However, it exploded on contact and sent Gohan to the ground, grabbing hold of the harmless people below. The people immediately disintegrated, and Gohan felt each one of their energies disappear.

While 18 accomplished that act, 17 had launched himself at Trunks, getting a great kick to Trunks' abdomen. Trunks sucked in a breath, but otherwise, he appeared to be okay. He went back to get up speed to smash his fist into 17's head again. 17 somehow managed to dodge, and as Trunks flew past 17, 17 whipped out his hand, a pale beam erupting from it.

Gohan rushed toward the Androids just as 17's blast headed at Trunks. 18 blocked his way, and Gohan bumped into her. It felt like a brick wall. In the air, he drifted back as his head throbbed. She darted forward, punching him in the chest with a strong right hand. Gohan let out a soft yell, and proceeding with her attack, 18's fist connected with the bottom of his jaw. His eyes closed on their own account as his head went backward.

18 ended her assault with a swift kick to his chest and an elbow to the top of the boy's head. Gohan ended up falling to the ground, fast enough to make a big crater. 18 turned and went after the other one. 17 and 18 gained up on Trunks, which was totally predictable. They sent punch after punch. Trunks screamed out after an extremely good hit struck him in the side. He heard something crack.

He tried to ignore the pain, and he glared at the two Androids. They had killed his mother. They killed everyone. They will continue killing. He rushed at them with only the intent to destroy them, but it wasn't the best action he could have done. 17 side-stepped to prevent Trunks from hitting him, while 18 appeared to give him a slap that sent him reeling. Once more, he targeted them, hands flying up and aimed at them.

He yelled real loud as he shot blast after blast. Something at the back of his mind told him to stop, but he couldn't. The rage and pain filled every part of him. The blasts struck the Androids each time, and the teen refused to let up until he couldn't dish out any more. When the smoke cleared, Trunks felt a strange sense of deja vu as his eyes locked onto the mostly mark-free Androids. It was just like before.

His eyes widened when both of them came forward. He hadn't used all his energy, but it must have been quite a lot because he was hardly staying afloat. The Androids hit him back, forcing him into a spin. As he leveled himself out, he was met with the two Androids' smirks. His blood ran cold as he watched their hands raise up, eye level with him. 17 had his thumb over his palm, and 18 had her thumb straight up like the rest.

17 smirk grew bigger as he saw the people stuck in the line the blast would go, so Trunks had to take it or the people would. It was a win-win for the Androids. "It's been fun and all, but we have to cut it short." The blasts simultaneously exploded and came at Trunks. Trunks held out his hands to slow it down, but the two blasts overtook him. When they blew up, the blasts rushed between his fingers and hit him. He panted out, managing to stay conscious. However, he slowly headed toward the ground. His feet landed, and his hair returned to its purple color, and the golden aura vanished. "I won't give… up… Monsters…"

"It's a lost cause. He just can't accept it." 17 laughed over to his sister. He placed out his hand, determined to finish Trunks off. Trunks scowled weakly at the palm. He wasn't going to be able to move out of the way. _Sorry, Mom._ His eyelids fluttered closed. He didn't feel the pain, but he had heard the sound the blast usually made.

He opened his eyes to see Gohan in front of him, some strange type green barrier in place. "G… Gohan?" Gohan was in a fighting position with his hands toward his middle. The barrier disappeared as Gohan blocked the Androids' path to Trunks, even floating up to cover him. Trunks stared until a blast from 17 darted in his general direction.

 _"Trunks!"_ The blast struck the teen, and his body crumbled, causing black to invade his vision. Gohan watched as Trunks' body landed roughly on the ground. He had promised that he'd protect Trunks, yet he failed to do so. His body shook, but his anger was short lived because the Androids targeted him next.

17 mentioned Gohan's tail, and Gohan ducked around him a few times. He leaped out of 18's reach, but somehow, a hand gripped his tail, and Gohan sucked in a breath, eyes wide with fright. The two Androids were on either side of him. He couldn't move; he couldn't even scream. He tried to struggle, but he only managed a slight movement. 17's hand tightened, and Gohan bit back a yell as the tail snapped in at least three different places. They said something, but Gohan couldn't comprehend it. He felt his tail twitch when 17 dropped him to the ground.

Gohan reached his feet, not bothering to glance at his tail. He backed up as the Androids approached with similar laughter at his expense. Behind him, a sound from Trunks made him stop moving back. He hesitated in going forward, though. He turned to the side, so he could see both the Androids and Trunks, who was trying really hard to sit up. A blast whizzed by Gohan's head and collided with the teen.

Gohan's mouth opened. He couldn't move his eyes away. The images and memories rushed back to him. Frieza, Goku, Vegeta, Chi Chi, Trunks at his time, Icarus, Yamcha, Krillin, his studying, his time on Namek, Dende, Nappa, Raditz, Piccolo, and everything came at him at once. He then saw them all disappear. He saw his loved ones perish at the hands of the Androids. He sensed their energy, and he sensed them leave forever.

A line of sweat rolled down the side of his face. _I'm going to lose them all…_ They were all goners if Gohan couldn't surpass the Androids. He felt something snap, and he let all his rage loose. He felt the overwhelming rage and uselessness. All that hatred flooded through him. Bulma, his mother, his father, Piccolo, Trunks, everyone. They were going to die at the hands of these Androids. The future _him_ died because of these Androids.

All those innocent people were dead because of their _fun_! The hatred built up and like a dam in broke from the stress. The air swirled in four spirals around Gohan's body as his eyes flickered green and back to black. His hair rose up into the air, gold spiking from the roots. He turned toward the Androids, anger evident.

His hair went black and sagged, only to spike up again with a sudden burst of yellow. "You're going to regret _that_ , along with everything else." He took a step toward the Androids, who remained unaffected. With each step, each time his foot hit the ground, a spark of gold lit up his hair. He stopped two feet away from them, and the images of all of his loved ones dying surfaced again. He felt the energy crawl along his skin, and he arced his back, letting out all his feelings out in a single scream. The ground indented in several rings soon after- two rings, since the third was more of a zigzag.

His eyes flashed teal and remained that way, reflecting his rage within them. His long messy hair stood up on end, fully golden-yellow. Static skittered along his clenched fists as the flame-like aura stood proudly over the boy. A golden circle expanded from his stomach, flashing every once in awhile, growing bigger each time until the ground underneath his feet exploded around him another time. Two more circles circled each of his fists every time they clenched tightly.

His teal eyes bore into the Androids before him. He shifted in a stance just as a bolt of lightning struck in front of him. Unfazed, the boy glared at his opponents. He sprung forward before 17 completed his hand motion.

* * *

 ** _(Next Time: Everyone Needs Help Some Time_**

 ** _The small fight with the Androids next time, as well as dealing with the injuries afterward. Oh, yeah, the headache a drugged up Trunks brings, and the nightmares that plague Gohan._**

 ** _This chapter {Chap 5} is kind of fitting don't you think, since it was the Fourth of July a little while ago. If you're from the US, happy late 4th of July. If you aren't, well hope your day was good anyway. I apologize for cutting it short, but the chapter was getting really long- in length. Hope to see ya readers next time, and feel free to tell me what you think.)_**

Reviews:

Cruzerblade: So is it what you imagined?


	6. Chapter 6

_**(I own nothing but the plot, as always. Thanks all readers, reviewers, followers, and people who favorite.)**_

 _ **Chapter 6: Everyone Needs Help Some Time**_

17 was instantly knocked off his feet after Gohan came at him, and Gohan sent a blast at 18, knocking her backward.

The two Androids went off in different directions, and they rushed toward Gohan. He dodged a few times; the last time, he swirled under 17's arm and came out behind him. He aimed an elbow at 17, which the Android avoided, giving Gohan a punch to the shoulder in return. The boy drifted back in pain, but then dropped to the ground as 18 targeted him. He hit the ground and waited for her to reach him.

However, both Androids flashed at him, and their hits had Gohan flying backward and trying to shield himself with his arms. He deflected a few punches and blocked some others, each hit still stinging. He lost his footing, probably from one of the Androids sweeping out his feet. He slipped backward in the air, and a fist connected at Gohan's chin, while another slammed into his chest. He coughed, teeth grinding together. A backhand from 18 forced him into the ground, burying him in a foot of rubble.

Gohan pushed himself up and glared, holding back a pant. 18 and 17 stood in front of him, looking not amused, but rather annoyed. "You owe me a shirt brat," 18 scoffed. She brushed off her clothing, getting rid of the dirt and revealing only a slight tear in her jacket.

Meanwhile, 17 crossed his arms, black shirt looking a little ruffled and pants slightly dirtier than usual with a few extra rips in the fabric. Gohan reached his feet, eyes drilling the two Androids. 17's hand slowly drew up. "Mind if we actually try now?"

Gohan's eyes grew bigger. _Huh-_ He covered his face with his arms, arms positioned over each other. The blast struck him, and his feet skidded along the ground, shoving him across the place that used to have houses, cars, laughter, people. He felt a hand at his back, and he was yanked up and thrown into the air. He managed to stop himself- barely. He couldn't hold in the soft pants that escaped his mouth now.

A foot collided with Gohan's head, and he went for the ground. Just as he hit, he planned to keep himself up with a hand, but a sharp knee went into his side, sending him sideways. He landed on his stomach and winced. He brought out his hands, leaping up to his feet. He stumbled, but stayed on his feet. He locked teal eyes with 17's black ones. 17 sported a smirk now.

Gohan's gaze traveled to 18's similar smug expression. He could feel himself losing the strength; he was completely exhausted, and he could only guess it was from the transformation plus the assault of the Androids. His eyes flicked black as his hair faded to black. He exhaled harshly.

"18, would you care do the honors?" 17 chuckled.

18 stepped forward. "Gladly." Gohan expected her to come closer, but she stopped and leaned down. "Might as well finish this one off too."

Gohan's blood chilled. He charged forward, and 17 sent a lazy punch at him. Gohan got hit, but he didn't feel it. The rage blinded him, and he became wild. He lost all sense, and hits that he possibly could have avoided, he took head on. He hated the Androids, who killed everyone he knew, everyone he cared about, and now Gohan couldn't keep his promise- any of his promises.

He hollered, attacking without any sense. A blast struck his head, lighting him up in brightness. He flipped back, landing face-down again. 17 jumped over onto his back, putting pressure on the top part, between the younger boy's shoulder blades. Gohan screamed out, chest heaving. His anger started to build up again. 17, foot still on Gohan's upper back, commented. "Hey, wasn't that one guy we killed also 'Gohan?'"

"What does it matter," replied 18.

"Well, doesn't he look like him?"

18 shrugged. "I guess." She had the unconscious Trunks by the throat.

Gohan thrashed around wildly under 17's foot, who just added more pressure to prevent him from moving. He puffed out a breath, dust moving away from his face. 17 crossed his arms over his chest in thought.

"Maybe it's his kid." 18 rolled her eyes at her brother thinking too much about the kid. "It doesn't matter now."

17 looked over at her. A grin pulled at his lips. "Either way, we're going to cook the cooked rice twice."

18 just raised a brow at him and shook her head at the lame joke. Gohan had calmed down some, finally the rage wasn't blinding his thoughts. He blew out a few agonizing breaths, inhaling the second time rather quickly. He remained angry, almost slipping out of his head again, but what made him keep calm was the fact of something blowing in the wind. The breeze gently moved the small things along the ground.

The breeze wasn't the soothing part. It was what it carried. A small white petal rolled along the ground. _I understand, Bulma._ He slowly turned his head, so the Androids didn't notice, and he observed their locations. _Okay._ He jerked his body up, forcing 17 off him, and the boy brought his fingers to his forehead. In the same moment, he was at 18, hitting her in the left shoulder, which made her release Trunks in mostly confusion or surprise.

Gohan caught the teen and took off in a rush. He couldn't get away like this, especially in his condition and having to carry Trunks. They were gaining on him; he just knew it. He searched for any energy, finding one near the edge of the city. He was glad that the person was alive, but Gohan was accidentally going toward it. Gohan placed Trunks' body under his left arm, careful of both of their injuries, but mostly of Trunks'.

He put up his fingers, finding the energy and picturing it like he had done with Trunks. They both- Trunks and Gohan- teleported to the energy signature, but when they appeared, Gohan nearly dropped Trunks, and the person started to scream. Gohan waved his hand, putting it over his lips. "Please." The person eventually quieted down, and Gohan nodded in a farewell.

Obviously, the Androids were still in pursuit, so Gohan flew off, holding Trunks with two hands now. He increased his speed, only to register than the city below had many buildings and structures still standing. He had a feeling the Androids were on his tail, so he dropped to the ground below, which connected to wreckage further down the road, running and jumping.

He hopped over a rundown store, running along the pavement that was stacked on other pavement pieces. He was never going to make it to the house if he kept moving like this, since his legs began to burn, almost like when he hit his head off the time machine. He directed his attention back to his surroundings. He spied a sturdy building and jumped inside. He placed Trunks inside the building, even though it wasn't standing up properly.

He debated on what to do, formulating an idea/ plan. He told the unresponsive Trunks that he'd be back, and he darted out of the building. He kept to the shadows, eyes at the sky and all senses alert. He saw two forms overhead, way overhead. They just stood there, most definitely deciding what to do now that they lost them. Gohan sneaked along the wreckage until he reached another barely touched part. His eyes were back at the Androids above him.

He watched the figures move, arms stretching out. Gohan had no clue what they were going to do, well perhaps he did, because he immediately shot through a building, bringing their attention to it. He flashed up to the sky, level with the Androids. "You want me, come and get me!" He released some of his energy in a small Masenko. The two Androids didn't react, letting it hit them.

Gohan didn't wait for them to come at him, instead, he flew off in the other direction, away from them _and_ Trunks' hiding spot. Turning his head over his shoulder, he saw them following. He forced himself to go faster, breath hissing out of his mouth. He needed to get far enough that would allow him and Trunks to escape unseen, yet he couldn't waste too much time. If he did, one of them could go and find Trunks on their own or Gohan himself might pass out as well.

He glanced down, and he maneuvered his body down to the destroyed parts of the city. He darted around the destruction, trying to lose them or give himself space. He flew swiftly to the right just as a blast exploded where he had just been. A gasp came from his mouth as another blast narrowly missed him again. He heard laughter behind him, and it was nearly on top of him.

He bit down on the inside of his cheek and pushed his body faster. They were still catching up, and- something smashed into his back. He spun to the ground. He fell, but the Androids didn't let him continue. Blast after blast rushed at him. He was about to dodge, but when the first one caught a hold of him, he was done. The blasts continued, unrelenting. He screamed out over the explosions of the blasts.

Now, he really had to go. With stiff movements, his fingers approached his forehead. He imagined Trunks, and he disappeared from the Androids' views.

"What?!" 18 yelled out, infuriated, just as 17 cursed and asked. "Again?!"

They did _not_ like the boy's disappearing acts, already.

. . . .

Gohan landed outside the building with a grunt, landing on his side. He rose to his feet, and he grabbed Trunks. He carried the teen in his arms, not on his back. He quickly glanced over Trunks wounds, making sure he didn't agitate most of them, and then, he went off toward the house. He made sure to keep low, run, jump, and fly at the appropriate times. He kept his eyes opened for movement.

The two half-saiyans reached the house without any more interruptions, and after Gohan closed the door and brought Trunks to the hospital part of the lab, he went to work. He made sure to clean the wounds and dress them. Some of the serious ones needed possible medical tape, such as the one on his forearm. He learned about the tape from one of Bulma's books.

He had once read that doctors used to wrap the chest if someone had a broken rib, which he thought Trunks might have, but another book told him that it wasn't the best thing to do. He decided to leave it alone, understanding that ribs basically healed themselves anyway. It would be best to minimize movement and ice the area, though.

After he fixed up Trunks, he looked at his own injuries. He only really was concerned with his chest. He had other wounds, but none of them were important to him; in his opinion, they were minor. He gently rubbed his chest and frowned at the pain coming from it. He felt something move behind him, and he turned without thinking. His eyes locked on the mangled tail.

Somehow, the tail flicked slightly, but not normally. Every time it moved, he whimpered at the torture. He didn't fully feel the pain before, but now, since the adrenaline was out of his system, he felt everything. Boy, did it feel like Recoome came back with a vengeance- only eleven times worse. He slumped in a chair next to Trunks. His eyes went to the teen, and the teen remained unresponsive.

He went to his tail, wrapping it up after trying to straighten it out. He made sure not to touch it for long, since he remembered his inability to move when people held onto it. He shuddered at the memory. He looked over at Trunks before he went over to the book shelf. He grabbed a book and read it. He remained close to the teen, just in case he woke up or moved in his sleep too much.

The night passed without much of Trunks doing anything, but laying there. The morning after though was a different story. Trunks was screaming and his body jerked around. Gohan moved closer to steady him. "Trunks," Gohan said. Trunks continued screaming and soon he started sobbing in his sleep.

Gohan blinked, but moved over so he was directly next to him, sitting down on the edge of the bed. The noises quieted down after a few hours, but Trunks would mumble in his sleep once in awhile. After Gohan deemed him good enough, he stood and went to the kitchen. Unfortunately, Trunks began the loud yelling a moment later. Gohan went back into the room with a soft sigh, and a frown accompanied it.

He sat on the opposite side of the bed again and repeated Trunks name, asking him it he could hear him along with the name. Trunks didn't respond, but the teen was now completely silent. Gohan furrowed his brows in worry. He pulled the covers over Trunks before he left the room. He grabbed some water, tapping on the counter, contemplating his next move.

He put the half-empty glass down; he had a lot of reading to do.

. . . .

A few days passed, and Gohan did all he could do, even setting up the equipment around the teen and hooking him up to it. He had Trunks hooked up to a tube that was attached to an IV. It was supposed to give Trunks the minerals and nutrients he required, at least that's what Gohan read about. He definitely could not feed someone that was unconscious, now could he? He traveled into the room and witnessed Trunks moving around, admittedly not well, but good enough.

Gohan approached him. "Need hel-" Then, Trunks fell off the bed and passed out again. "-p." Gohan picked him up and placed back in the bed. He looked over the sleeping teen, and he unhooked everything from him. The other beds were bigger than this one, so he thought the larger beds would keep Trunks on them. He picked up the teen again and brought Trunks to his own room.

When Trunks was situated, Gohan went back out in the lab, getting back to work on what he was doing before.

. . . .

Night fell, and Gohan passed by Trunks room, checking on him for the fourteenth time, every time at the top of the hour. He peered in and watched the teen's face crunch up, clearly uncomfortable. Gohan briskly went back to the medical supplies, searching the medicine that they had. He found a pain medicine that had a small list of warnings, and it wasn't addictive, so he took out two and journeyed back to Trunks' room. He opened the door move, put down the pills with a glass of water, and he left the room, keeping the door ajar.

Laying in his bed, he stared at the ceiling in silence. His eyes fluttered close, and he allowed himself to fall asleep finally.

. . . .

The young boy walked the solid earth, admiring the way the sun made shadows that appeared to dance around him. He giggled softly as a butterfly landed on his nose. The insect flew away as a breeze took its place, as if the insect's departure was the cause of the sudden breeze. He found himself at a recognizable wooded area, and he continued until the terrain turned grassy.

He saw a house in the distance, and he ran toward _his_ house. He picked up speed, only faltering when the house rippled. He then saw Capsule Corp on its side, just as the environment changed again. He walked cautiously over to it. Hand on the door handle, he turned it slowly. He didn't know why he was so worried or frightened of this house. He had always been fine with it.

He just sensed something _off_ about the place. The door fell off its hinges, causing the boy to step back and drop the now freed door. The wind outside picked up, and he shivered, hands rubbing his arms in order to keep them warm. Thunder sounded overhead, yet there was no lightning that had come first. Lightning was supposed to come first, wasn't it?

Gohan took a step into Capsule Corp. His eyes looked around the place, noting that it appeared to be the same way he left it. He relaxed and let his arms down at his side because apparently the wind couldn't reach him in the house. He took a few more steps in, and he hesitated. The paint on the walls began to run down the walls and onto the floor. Whispering rose over the howling wind outside. At first, it was a mere murmur, but then it grew louder and louder.

"... Turn around… don't look. Stop moving… Turn back…" The whispering jumbled together, but he heard pieces of it. "Leave- _stop_ -don't- _no_ -help- _stop_ -him- _no_ -"

He ignored the voices, walking along the unpainted walls. The whispering was just that now, and as he continued his walk along the hallways, the whispering grew louder than just whispering. It soon became shouts and screams.

"LEAVE! LEAVE NOW! GO!"

Gohan tried to ignore them again, but it was fruitless.

"What are you doing?!" Three strong voices hollered.

Gohan couldn't distinguished the differences between the voices, since there were more voices.

"Leavenowleavenowdon'thelpdon'tlethim."

The boy narrowed his eyes, hands covering his ears.

"Lookatwhathedid, look…"

The hallway crumbled in some areas, falling down next to Gohan's side. He hurried down the hall, no longer taking his time.

"Run, run, as fast as you can," laughed a very familiar voice, followed by the feminine voice that came with the masculine one.

"You wouldn't run away like a coward, would you kid?"

He wasn't really afraid of them. Actually, he was starting to get annoyed with their taunts and silly games they enjoyed to play. Overhead, Gohan heard the ceiling snap, and the ceiling a little ways away collapsed in his path. He slid to prevent himself from hitting it. "Stop it, that's enough."

"Do you honestly think it's us," the blonde's voice echoed in his head.

"Seriously, how many screws are loose in that head of his? I'd bet more than this place." The older boy commented right after.

Gohan grew confused. "You two aren't doing this? Then, who is?"

"You," their voices both replied nonchalantly.

"Huh-" he turned around to stare at them, but he only found air and dust. The building shuddered around him, and he took off along a path to the left, the door was now on his left since he was facing the direction of the exit. The exit wasn't blocked, but he refused to leave. He ran along the hall after going that was now littered with broken pieces of the building. _How could it be me_ , he wondered. Trapped in his thoughts, he did not see the ceiling land in front of him, and he dove to the side in hopes of dodging most of the wreckage.

He picked himself up and went back to running, jumping out of the way of various pieces of Capsule Corp. He managed to not get crushed multiple times.

"Stop," a voice whispered, yet Gohan didn't heed the warnings the voice said. "Stop, please, before…"

He reached a split hallway, and down one, he heard someone screaming for help. He went down that one despite the whisperings that came, telling him the same thing. "Turn back. Don't help him. Leave now. Turnbackdon'thelphimleavenow." The whispers were shouts again, drowning out the pleading voice from moments ago.

He sprinted down the hallway, rounding a corner to see a closed door where the screams for help sounded from. He slowed to a walk, hand hovering over the door handle. The voices grew even more harsh and deafening than before, if that was even remotely possible. The boy hesitated. Was he making the right choice?

He was confused and unsure. He could let his hand drop and turn around or he could go forward, ignoring the mix of yells to leave. He didn't know what to decide, but he didn't need to. The door flew open and bashed against the wall. The voices died down, except for the one that required help. That one remained distant. He went further into the room and saw a hall that branched off it.

He made his way to the giant room that was at the end, pausing for a moment because of all of the silence. Nothing made a noise; nothing seemed to exist at all. Gohan finally heard something shift, and he observed something in the middle of the room move. He rushed over, seeing Trunks hanging on to the floor for dear life, swaying over a gigantic hole in the floor. Trunks' wide blue eyes were filled with fear as his one arm stretched toward Gohan.

The teen's mouth formed the beginning of the young boy's name, but it was cut off with a scream, and Trunks disappeared from Gohan's view. Gohan jumped forward to catch him, or help him back up. However, he barely moved a foot before he hit the ground. He was forced to hear Trunks' yell all the way down the hole until it was no more. Gohan crept to the edge of the hole, seeing Trunks' body still falling in the abyss. Sometime later the darkness swallowed him up, resulting in Gohan's muffled cry.

He made it to his feet, eyes locked on the black hole below him. He then heard the pleading voice again. "Please…" That was all it said until Gohan raised his head toward the sound. He froze in his spot.

"Mom, Dad?" He watched his parents on the other side of the hole.

They didn't respond or even look at him. Their attention was solely on the bundle in his mom's arms. "My poor baby."

His dad's brow furrowed as he frowned at the baby. "We must do it, Cheech."

The woman nodded. "I know." She raised the baby up, turning him this way and that, allowing Gohan to get a glimpse of a younger version of himself. His heart rose up in his throat. What were they doing? His mom and dad grabbed hold of their baby. With a look at one another, they put the baby over the gaping hole.

"My baby's never-" his mom's voice cracked.

His dad frowned and said. "He's gone." They both looked to their baby, and Gohan panicked.

"Wait! Mom, Dad, I'm here. Over here, just look!" He cried out, waving his arms around. "Please, I'm over here. Don't-" His vision blurred from unshed tears when he realized they either didn't notice him or couldn't hear him. He went to the edge of the hole and shouted for them to look one last time, just as they both let go of the baby. The baby descended into the darkness. It didn't make a sound, yet Gohan could swear it was screaming.

His parents held each other in comfort. The screaming ceased, and Gohan's throat burned. He dropped to the ground, fists clenched together. A few tears fell down his cheeks, landing on the ground. He didn't understand it. They just let him go. Gohan sniffed. Just like what happened with Bulma and Trunks. Bulma's lifeless body sprung to his mind, and he shook.

Two sets of footsteps came from behind him, but he didn't care any longer. His parents walked away from their spot, fading more as their distance from Gohan increased. Gohan slouched forward, forehead against the ground.

"We can't help him, 17. That's what the rules say."

"Yeah, but who cares about the rules."

"You've got a point."

"Let's just lend a _hand_." A shove sent him over the edge of the hole, and he scrambled for something to grab onto. Somehow he gripped the side and stopped himself from plummeting to certain death or something similar. Gohan's fingers twitched from the strain of holding him up.

"Once again, the rules say not to help."

"What's even supposed to happen?"

Gohan couldn't see them over the hole, but he could practically sense 18 shrugging. "Who knows." She stated, most likely brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Gohan lifted himself over the edge just as 17 said. "We'll break the rules just once more." Something grabbed ahold of his long hair and pulled him up the rest of the way. He let out a soft cry, hands holding below the hand wrapped around his hair. His eyes were forced close, so he couldn't see the Androids, who laughed evilly. "What were the rules again 18?"

"Leave. Don't help. Don't let him. And there was another one, but it couldn't have been important."

"Alright, so none of us left, and we helped this poor kid. Now, we can't let him do it." 17 chuckled and added, "whatever 'it' is."

Gohan squirmed. "Let me go," his voice sounded weak.

17 and 18 immediately chuckled, but Gohan was tossed to the ground anyway. "Wow, this kid may be a super something or other, but he's still just a helpless kid."

"Always letting people down." 18 commented.

"Yeah. He's letting them all go. Maybe that's what he can't do? Let them go?"

"No, he has to let them go, haven't you heard?"

Gohan gritted through his teeth. "I won't let them die." His eyes still refused to open, so he was met with only black. He felt around with his hands, feeling the rough floor beneath him.

"This, I've got to see." 17 smirked as 18 raised a brow.

"You can't believe this crap, 17."

"I don't. I think he'll fail like everyone else did."

Images of possible deaths of the Z-Fighters surfaced, and Gohan's body shook. "Stop."

They continued, explaining various ways that the group of fighters were possibly slaughtered. They talked about who killed the most, both saying they won with the most kills. Gohan bit the inside of his cheek, enough that he tasted the metallic taste from the blood.

"Stop it!"

They didn't bother to stop, and they described more ways to kill if the Z-Fighters were still alive. Gohan could feel each energy of his friends and family disappearing. He exhaled loudly, trying to hold back the swelling anger. He swore that if their conversation didn't stop, he wouldn't be able to hold back the rage. "They were all pretty easy to kill." 18's voice made Gohan tense more. "They'll always be easy to dispose of."

 _Dispose of?_ Gohan smashed his hands into the floor. "That's enough!" He snapped to his feet, and his eyelids were removed from his eyes. He could see again. "You can't talk about them like that." He swirled around, searching for the two. He sensed nothing, like usual, and he didn't even see them anywhere. He hissed through his teeth in anger. Suddenly, the room he was currently in shifted and parts of the ceiling collapsed.

Gohan gasped and ran toward the hallway where the exit would be. He darted around corners, and eventually, he discovered the exit. The door was still open, and Gohan was nearing it. He rushed toward it even when he noticed the storm outside. The rain came in a downpour, creating huge puddles outside the building. He didn't understand the change of the environment outside into a city that wasn't familiar in any way.

He still approached it as the structure continued caving in. He was nearly out now. A slight smile pulled at his mouth as he felt the breeze on his face and the coolness from the storm outside. He was three yards from the opening when the door appeared on its hinges and slowly began to close. No! His hands were out for it, but the door smacked into his face. He ran into it and slipped to the ground against it.

"Don't help," 17 repeated from behind the door.

"And keep him contained," 18's voice came from the other side as well. "The last rule."

Gohan pounded on the door. All around him the building fell, and he looked up at the wrong time because a piece above him crashed down. He screamed, especially when everything began to head toward the black hole. He was soon swallowed by the darkness, surrounded by crushing pressure.

He felt something grab around his ankle. The hand had nails, and the hand was a strange color. It tugged him in, and he couldn't breathe.

"You let us down," was hissed as he felt as if he was being strangled. He was choking now.

. . . .

Gohan flew up into a sitting position in his bed, hands around his aching neck. He gasped and sputtered. He hated nightmares, any type of them. Some of his were random and on past events or they had people from the past. Like there was a time where he was trapped underneath Frieza's rule as a warrior. He was a low-class, and he was still powerful. He was alright for a few months, but that changed in an instant. He had five men with him. They turned out to be Trunks, Krillin, Piccolo, Goku, and Vegeta.

He apparently attacked Frieza, and his team were crushed. None of them stood any chance, and one by one they died until Gohan was the one left. Gohan died soon after, while voices told him that he wasn't fit for this life. Frieza's voice had also said that he was a stupid monkey brat.

Gohan checked himself over, even if he knew it was merely a dream. He couldn't help it. He glanced at the clock off to the side. "Four hours isn't too bad," said Gohan as he stood. He might as well check on Trunks while he's up. He went to the teen's room, glancing in and seeing that the medicine was gone and so was the water. _That's a good sign._ Gohan smiled briefly.

He went to the medical supplies, grabbing the pain killers from earlier and bringing them to Trunks' room. He set the bottle down on the night table, along with a note that told Trunks to take _only_ two pills if he felt too much pain. With a last glance over his shoulder at the sleeping form, he went out of the room and to the back room down the other hallway. He went back to work.

After about five hours, Gohan wiped his head with the back of his hand with a smile at his work, getting a bit of grease on it in the process. He heard something, and he raised a brow at it. He sensed Trunks' energy moving around, and he stood up and went to it. What he was met with in the teen's room made him gape. "Trunks, wh-what in the world are you doing?"

Trunks laughed uncontrollably. "Go- HAN!" He stumbled out of bed and got snagged by the blanket, smashing to the ground. The room was a complete mess, pillows thrown to the other side, the desk table moved three feet toward the middle of the room, the mattress was almost hanging off the bed, and the bed was a foot from the wall. The teen made a noise that resembled a laugh, which turned into a whine. "I'm stuck," he cried out.

Gohan's dark eyes traveled to the pill bottle, which laid on its side and empty. "Trunks," he said sternly to get the teen's attention, which definitely worked. "Did you take all of those pills?" He narrowed his eyes at the guilty teen.

The blue eyes looked down at Gohan's shoes. "Nuh-uh, not all of them."

"Oh really." Gohan went over to the bottle and looked inside. "Why is this empty then? Explain that." He turned to the teen who actually pouted. "I told you to only take two," sighed Gohan, setting the bottle right-side up.

"How was I supposed to know," muttered Trunks.

"There was a note."

"So? I didn't read it." Trunks stared over at the wall. There was a small pause. "You're mad, aren't you?"

Gohan wished he could say he wasn't, but honestly, he thought Trunks would have been able to handle it, even with his injuries. "A little," admitted the young boy.

Trunks frowned. "I'm… I didn't mean it."

"Luckily there wasn't many." Gohan went over to the teen, offering a hand to help him up. Trunks shakily took it after a few times of not being able to grasp it. He had heard of a warning that if the person that took too many would be rambunctious, unalert, and hazy. He managed to get the teen to stand on his feet by himself for a minute while Gohan fixed the bed.

Unfortunately, Trunks began talking about so many things, jumbling them together, probably mixing them up, and cutting off various stories in maniacal laughter. Also, the teen seemed to try to follow Gohan when he went to get the pillows and push the table back into place. Gohan even caught the teen mimicking his movements. When the boy took a step, Trunks followed soon after, attempting to be stealthy and unseen.

The teen watched as Gohan adjusted the bed, and Trunks was next to him, pretending to do the same thing. Then, Trunks walked after Gohan, who went to the same table again, putting it closer to the bed. Trunks did the same thing, but he ended up tripping over his feet and smashing to the ground. The teen rolled into a sitting position. He frowned as he gained Gohan's attention with a whine. " _Gohan!_ You were supposed to fall too!"

Gohan could have rolled his eyes, but he decided to just smile and shake his head at the actions. "Time to lay down Trunks." He lifted up the teen who puffed out his cheeks, face red from some type of anger. He made sure the teen laid down on the bed, but Trunks immediately shot to his feet. Trunks ended up literally bouncing up and down, giggling about something left unsaid.

"WOOHOO!" He continued his erratic jumping. "I'm flying! Vroom, vroom!" He paused in his airplane movements when Gohan gently brought him down to sit again. "Guess what?! C'mon guess," Trunks hiccuped out as he sat down, grabbing hold of Gohan's upper arms and tugging.

"What," chuckled Gohan.

"GUESS!" Trunks yelled with a wide grin. "It's fun!"

Gohan shrugged. "Do you want me to guess what age you're acting? It's probably around two." Two-year-olds didn't really seem to have self-control, not like three-year-olds begin to develop.

Trunks laughed, gently- well not so gently- hitting Gohan in the shoulder. "No. Guess!"

Gohan pinched his brows together in confusion. "Uh-" He paused. "How about you guess, Trunks?" If Trunks was still in the right mind, he most likely wouldn't have burst out in a fit of light laughter.

He hollered at the top of his lungs. "I guess it has something to do with Gohan!"

"Which one?"

Trunks seemed to ignore the question as he rolled onto his back, releasing Gohan's arms. "Zooming this and that! Boom! KA-POW!" He flailed around, and Gohan placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Easy now."

Trunks was hysterical by now with his laughter. "Gohan took on those Androids! Without an arm too!"

Gohan paused. So, it wasn't him. Before, he'd hate the fact that there had been another Gohan, but now it didn't really affect him. He was actually quite interested in this other him.

Suddenly, Trunks pounced on him, shaking him by the shoulders. "Brother! You're here, where'd you come from!?"

Gohan saw the room whip by, and he his teeth chattered together as he tried to speak. "Tr- Tr.. Un-Uunnks.. St-St… op." The teen actually stopped and stared at the younger boy. Gohan's swayed a bit. "Thank you." He rubbed his forehead. "I've always been here-"

"WHAT! Where? You're a magician!" Trunks pointed at him, waving his finger at the other.

Gohan stopped the teen from continuing by abruptly asking, "Why'd you call me brother?"

"Oh." Trunks pink face brightened. "Gohan, he called me _'little brother'_ once, and," Trunks rambled on about something completely different, something about a spiraling lake. He jumped to his feet. "Did you know humans can fly? Watch this!" Before Gohan could react, Trunks flashed off the bed and crashed to the floor.

Gohan winced for the teen. He placed his feet on the floor and moved over to the other, who happened to be still kissing the floor. "You really showed me." The boy's lips curled up somewhat. "But you may want to know, that you're half human and half saiyan."

Trunks rubbed his chin with a scowl. "Damn saiyan part. That's why it didn't work." His blue eyes drifted up to Gohan's dark ones, and he cowered back some at the disapproving expression. "The stupid saiyan part," he fixed his statement. He glared at the ground. "Gohan and his rules, might as well as be in prison."

Gohan actually rolled his eyes this time. "Yes Trunks, and the warden says get to bed."

"You're not my mom. I can handle myself just fine."

A black brow raised up at him. "Of course you can, only for the few hours you'll survive for." He offered a hand to the teen, who narrowed his eyes at the hand. Gohan just shrugged a shoulder. "Suit yourself, I guess I get to keep this bed." He strolled over and took a spot on the bed.

Trunks bellowed out. "Hey, that's mine!" He leaped onto the bed, anger on his face. "My bed." His fingers turned white as he gripped the pillow hard. "You can't have it- any of it."

"Why not?" Gohan asked innocently.

Trunks' expression faltered for a moment as he thought about the question. His grip loosened. He looked confused. "I don't… really know…"

Gohan lightly flicked him in the forehead to gain his attention. "Why don't you tell me about Gohan, Trunks?" Trunks brightened instantly, confusion wiped off his face. Gohan had wanted that to occur, so he presented the teen with a small smile as the other rambled on about events that were jumbled and incomprehensible at times. The teen started to bounce up and down in his sitting position on the bed, getting real into the stories he began to tell.

His excited yells filled the rest of the night and most of the morning until Trunks slumped forward and snored next to Gohan's leg. Gohan moved him into a more comfortable position, and he went out to the kitchen for some water. As he drank some, he leaned against the counter, thinking about the past hours.

He felt the ground shift underneath him, and the house shook. He instantly ran to the door, ear against it to hear what was on the outside. At first, all he could figure out was that it was raining, and pretty hard at that. Then, he heard the wind, and next came the voices. The voices sounded like they whizzed past the house. "Wow, who knew this place could still be fun!" 17 laughed aloud, while 18 stated nearby.

"You're such a kid." However, she was laughing too. Another explosion sounded, rattling the walls of the house. Gohan was glad that Trunks was asleep now because if he wasn't, he would have freaked out. He either would have screamed or went out to fight them, and Gohan didn't need either one of those reactions. Gohan might have gone out, but Trunks was in no shape to be left alone. Also, they were too close; they would discover the house in no time.

Another eruption sent everything shaking against everything else. Gohan didn't sense any other living things nearby, so he remained with his ear pressed against the door. Something cold and wet slipped onto his cheek, making him jerk away from the door and glance up. A drip came from the ceiling, and that drip led to another further away from the door. The drips soon began waterfalls inside the house.

Gohan rushed to the cabinets, throwing open the doors to the pans. He threw the pans underneath the falling water in a hurry. After Gohan had the leaks situated, the front, where the door was, started to cave in. He ran to it, putting up brooms and anything else he could find to keep it up. The leaks started to become worse, and the boy made a slight face. An idea came to him in the next moment. He rushed to the lab and grabbed some tools. A grin split his face as he pushed the button on the drill a couple times.

. . . .

Finally, Gohan finished fixing up the inside of the house, at the expense of his clothes, which were soaked. He put the tools away and changed clothes, another outfit similar to the white shirt and black pants just with a few design differences and without the annoying ruffles. He came out to the kitchen, setting the brooms and other things that were left back in their places. He sat down at the table, glass from before now in his hands.

He stared at the immobile water, eyes unblinking and unfocused. He just thought; lately, all he has been has been thinking really. He hasn't really been sleeping or eating. He couldn't explain it, but he was hungry, yet he wasn't at the same time. He was exhausted, but didn't want the nightmares that accompanied his sleep. They always involved past events or people he loved. He hated the uselessness the dreams forced onto him. He could only go two paths, both of which turned out to be the wrong ways. Sometimes he could only go one way, and it was horrifying.

Gohan leaned his head on the table, shutting his eyes for a bit. He didn't mean to fall asleep, but he did.

. . . .

He sat around his own kitchen table, at his home. The birds chirped on the window sill. Everything was still and calm- peaceful. However, there was no Chi Chi or Goku to welcome him. He took a savoring sip of his soup, reading the note to the side. _Be back, Gohan. Just went out shopping. Brought your father along. ~ Mom_ He placed the note down with a smile. He went for another sip, but the soup inside the bowl grew red.

He dropped everything just as the bowl lurched to the side, covering some of the note. His wide eyes read the note again. _Turn Around_ , was scrawled on the paper. He looked over his shoulder, and the door exploded. He was sent flying out the side of his house, smashing into the earth next to it. The house instantly erupted into flames. Gohan choked when he heard his mom's screams from inside.

She was burning; he could smell it, and it sickened him. He was rooted to the spot, held by an unseen force. "Let me go," he screamed, tears forming in his eyes. Out of nowhere, a body flew from the burning building and crashed at Gohan's feet. His hands shook when he realized it was his dad. "Dad…" He sank to his knees, causing the scene to disappear.

The environment came back, displaying the same house, yet it was untouched and normal. It wasn't on fire or even close to it. Gohan saw his mom and dad by the house; his mom had an arm around his dad's. They seemed happy with one another. Gohan wanted to stand and head over to them, but that same force was still holding him back. He reached for them and said their names. They paid no attention to him.

Soon a figure walked around the house, coming into view. It was Trunks. Following Trunks was the others. Everyone showed up and talked with each other, even Vegeta was there. They all appeared to be enjoying themselves, and yes, Vegeta did too. He was concealing the slight rise at the corner of his mouth. Gohan looked around at all of the faces, memorizing them. Even if he couldn't join them, he was delighted that they were having fun.

He relaxed a bit, a huge smile pushing onto his face from the infectious excitement. As if the smile ruined the scene, it flashed into a dark and dreary version of the scene from before. Out of the corner of his eye he watched two blasts combine and head straight for them. They all looked up in unison, and the one blast hit them. They screamed, still alive when the next blasts darted at them.

They didn't stand a chance. Gohan could only picture their terror and torment on their faces as he stared at his hands gripping his knees. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. He was angry, oh how he was so angry. The ground buckled underneath him, and he gritted his teeth. He couldn't do anything, even if when there was two people on either side of him.

"Temper, temper." They voices laughed together.

On both sides of his face, he could only sit and watch as two hands struck him in the face. He was thrown backward, rolling onto his knees as he panted. He glanced up when he saw a hand out of his peripherals. His dark eyes located the not-so-strange-anymore green hand, and his eyes traveled up to the face of the Namekian. He beamed at the slight smirk on the other's face. "M-M- Piccolo," he exhaled, tension leaving him.

He grabbed Piccolo's thumb, and he allowed himself to relax more.

"How'd you get away?"

The other's mouth opened to answer the boy, but another voice replaced it. "What do we have here?" 17's voice wasn't what made Gohan freeze; it was the blood flowing out of Piccolo's mouth.

"Sorry… kid…" Each word brought forth more blood until it dripped off the Namekian's face. Then, Gohan saw a beam flash through Piccolo's chest, and Piccolo coughed, spraying the boy in blood. Tears formed in Piccolo's eyes as they dulled. Gohan's hand slipped from Piccolo's, and Piccolo fell.

"Piccolo, no." The boy whispered in horror.

"Now it's your turn."

"Die!" 18 shouted, and an energy blast struck him. It lit up the dark landscape, as well as the boy.

. . . .

Gohan started awake, hands on his face as he exhaled four times loudly. He leaned his head back over the table, catching his breath. The images remained in his head; everyone being destroyed as he watched- as he was unable to do anything. He placed his head on the cold tabletop. He bit the inside of his cheek again, a habit he must have developed when he didn't remember anything.

The images replayed over and over again, so much in fact, that Gohan shoved back his chair and stomped to the bookshelf in the back room. He grabbed hold of it and accidentally smashed it into the wall. He cringed at the noise. He searched for Trunks and found him still in his room. Quickly, he cleaned up and put the books in lab- in a corner out of the way. The computer drew him in, so that's where he spent the rest of the day in.

. . . .

His head throbbed, and he groaned as he rolled onto his stomach. He decided to go back onto his back; he opened his eyes to darkness, except for a bit of light coming from where his door was. He switched on the light and rubbed his eyes. He made his way to the door, and he opened it enough so he could go out. He went to the kitchen, seeing Gohan at the table. His blue eyes drifted to the clock, which said that it was five in the morning. He slid into a seat beside the reading boy next to him.

"Morning," Gohan's voice spoke up.

"What happened," Trunks leaned over the table, head thumping on the surface. His head was killing him.

"You tried to fight the Androids." The boy was calm as he lowered the book a little from his face.

"Yeah, I remember that… I think." Trunks gazed up at the other, who was looking at his book again.

"You think, Little Brother?" Gohan's lip curled up some when Trunks groaned.

"I thought that was a dream!" The realization sunk in, and Trunks' face lit up red. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Gohan."

Before he could continue, Gohan shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Little Brother."

If it was even possible, the red on the teen's face intensified. "You're teasing me." He declared.

"Just a bit." Gohan's smile flickered back onto his face. "I'll stop now." He may have continued or said more, but the other boy looked exactly like a tomato already. He went back to studying the page before him, but looked up. "How are you feeling?"

Trunks adjusted himself in the chair. "Fine, except for the headache." _And my sides._ He rubbed his temples.

Gohan nodded, lowering the book in his lap. "The headache is from that medicine."

"I thought medicine was supposed to help you," Trunks grumbled.

"Taken with the right amount, yes." The boy stood and went to the refrigerator after he set the book on the table. "You're probably hungry."

"Starving," admitted Trunks, and his stomach growled. While Gohan started to fish around for some eggs and bacon, which they got last time they went out for food, Trunks asked. "What do we have left?"

Gohan lied. "A lot, since I got some yesterday." He hadn't set foot out of the house since Trunks was hurt, but he wasn't lying about the a lot part. He was too wound up to eat much, and he was far too busy with the things in the lab and back room.

Trunks nodded, and he waited for the food to cook, same as Gohan. "Did you eat already?"

Gohan said with a smile. "Yes." _Lies._ Automatically, his stomach growled, and he paled when the teen narrowed his eyes at the sound. He looked away to the frying pan. "Okay, I didn't. Didn't have time."

"Well you have time now." The teen pointed out. Gohan agreed with him and made two plates for them. They both needed a big meal anyway. He handed Trunks his and sat down next to him. They ate in silence, but for once, the silence wasn't strained; it was comfortable again, and both demi-saiyans sensed it. After they both finished and Gohan put the dishes in the sink, the boy turned toward the teen, who questioned. "Were you hurt by the Androids?"

Gohan shook his head some. "Not really, I got us both out as quick as I could." After being blinded by rage, which was no picnic. He took his seat.

Trunks immediately clenched his fists under the table, body shaking as he thought about the monsters. "I can't believe they do that." He couldn't believe that a city could basically disappear in an instant if the Androids wanted it to.

Gohan felt the teen's power increase. "Trunks, that's enough."

Trunks blinked at Gohan's stern voice.

"Using your anger is one thing, but letting it control you is another… If you let the anger control you, you lose sight of what's in front of you. I know from experience, as do you."

Trunks stared at the table, and he frowned. He hung his head; Gohan was indeed right. He had just proved that fighting the Androids. He let the hurt and pain overrun him, and he made such asinine mistakes. He peered through his bangs at the young boy, and he had to look again because he swore he saw the older Gohan sitting there. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

The boy smiled faintly, smile knowing. Trunks became self-conscious all of a sudden. He regretted the constant comparison he was doing between the two, but he couldn't help himself. His blue eyes flickered to the boy, who now returned to his book- actually it was more of a textbook than anything else. Trunks read the cover and stared at it. _Abstract Algebra, what is that?_

Something that Gohan said registered in his head in the next moment. "Wait, you didn't have time?"

Gohan put the behemoth of a book down. "Yes, I'm building something, but it's not done yet."

Trunks perked up. "What are you-"

"It's a surprise." Gohan announced. Actually, he didn't want to show Trunks yet since like he said, it wasn't finished- by far.

Trunks chuckled lightly. "Alright, I'll wait." He leaned back in the chair, thinking as he observed the clock on the wall. "Gohan." The boy looked over. "Where'd you bury my mom?" It was something that wouldn't leave his mind. He was nervous that the Androids might be able to see where she was.

"The place where she loved to write ideas," responded Gohan.

It got real quiet between them. "Can… Can I go and visit her?"

"Of course."

Trunks nodded and stood. "I'll be right back."

"Be careful."

He went out the door, and Gohan followed a bit, pausing before going outside. He didn't want Trunks to get caught by 17 and 18, especially alone, but he knew Trunks wanted to visit his mother by himself.

He made sure to keep an eye on Trunks' power, but he went into the back room to keep himself occupied and distracted.

. . . .

Trunks flew toward where Gohan had said his mother would be. He landed without a sound on the ground and journeyed to the dirt patch. He saw the headstone, and his throat constricted. He had wished to come alone because he had to see her without any other presence. He sat down next to the headstone and gazed at where his mother lay, buried beneath the earth.

Putting out a hand, he rested it on the stone that marked her resting place. He closed his eyes, trying to picture her face, but the lifeless one surfaced. He shook it from his head and gripped the stone tightly. He had let down his mother. He was supposed to be there for her, yet he was unconscious when it happened.

He couldn't even assist her if he wanted, and how he wanted to. He frowned lightly, knuckles turning white on the headstone. _Mother, I never thought_ , his thoughts trailed off. He lost everyone because of those _Monsters!_ Everyone lost everything because they wanted to have fun. He gritted his teeth. _Damn those Androids._ His brain hissed at them, mentally cursing at them all the while.

Somehow, a small calm voice broke through, telling him to calm down. His mother urged him to relax, and next came Gohan's- present Gohan's- voice saying what he did just in the kitchen. _Don't let the anger control you or you lose sight._ He stood up and smiled at the sky, hopefully it reached him mother- and the future Gohan.

"Thank you for everything." He caressed the gravestone. He turned away, promising to be back sometime. He took off and headed toward the house. He went inside and called for Gohan, telling him he made it back alright. When he received no reply, Trunks rapidly scanned the area for Gohan. He found him in the back room, and he ran to it. He burst through the door and stopped short at the mess.

. . . .

Gohan was working when the door smashed against the wall, causing him to jump. The wide-open books' pages fluttered from the rush of Trunks barging in. He glanced behind him from his sitting position, questioning him with just a gaze. Trunks shifted uneasily, eyes on the floor. He softly apologized for the quick entrance, which Gohan just flashed a strained smile.

Trunks looked around the room, and his eyes lit up. "That's what you're making… What is it?"

Gohan stood, brushing his hands on his pants. "In my time, the Briefs- your family- had this room called a Gravity Chamber. I'm making a smaller version." He stepped next to Trunks, who had found a spot at the partially made console. He clasped his hands behind his back. "Since we can't train outside all the time, this can help."

Trunks gaped in awe. "I can't believe you made this that fast. _Wow_."

Gohan smiled. "That's what I thought about the time machine when I first saw it."

"How'd you ever manage this?" Gohan shrugged and watched as Trunks looked inside at all of the wires. Trunks said, excitedly. "Wow, I've never seen a machine look like this!"

"It's not finished." Gohan looked at his shoes.

"No- In a good way." Trunks' face removed itself from the open panel. "It's really great. Nice work." He praised the young boy because he looked like he needed it at the moment, and of course, he deserved it.

Gohan thanked him politely. He picked up a book, glanced at a page, and showed him it. "I've managed to duplicate some parts, but others I can't seem to get." All the books that covered the floor were for different machines since Gohan didn't have one necessarily for a Gravity Chamber.

"I've got it." Trunks went to the tool chest that Gohan had on the floor, rummaging around in it. "My mother taught me a trick a little while ago." He had a wrench and a piece of scrap metal. "Let me show you." They worked together for a few hours until it was nearly lunch time. Trunks followed Gohan out of the room, setting the tool down. "I think we have more supplies at Capsule Corp, if you want to go there tomorrow."

Gohan just nodded. He went to the cupboard and took out a can, tossing it to Trunks, who caught it. Trunks tossed it back, and it went between them. Trunks chuckled, while Gohan smiled. Now, the can was whizzing between them, definitely unseen by normal humans if they happened to be inside and watching. Gohan turned his back, catching it behind him and whipping it toward Trunks in the next second.

He never wanted to get into a throwing war with the teen; it just ended up being the outcome. The can continued being thrown between them, while Gohan used his foot to close the fridge after getting something for lunch. It didn't need to be cooked, so he placed it on two separate plates. He grabbed hold of the can one last time, placing it back away, and he picked up the two plates.

They ate in silence- mainly silence. Trunks had started to devour his food at first, while Gohan slowly ate. Trunks noticed the difference and slowed his pace, an embarrassed smile on his face. Gohan and Trunks finished at the same time, getting up to put the dishes in the sink. Gohan turned on the water to do them next, and Trunks stood near him.

"What's wrong, Trunks?" Gohan randomly asked as he cleaned a dish, not bothering to look over.

"It's… My father."

"Vegeta?"

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, how'd you figure it out?"

A strained smile came to the seven-year-old's face. _He's stubborn, like his father._ "Bulma basically told me, and you're a saiyan, so it was pretty easy to guess."

Trunks smiled slightly, a little taken back by the mention of his mother.

Gohan rinsed off the dish and put it in the strainer, turning toward the teen. "What about him?"

"Oh. Well, I've met him for a little bit, but I was wondering what else my father is like?"

"He's tough… Also, he is proud, which was the first thing we all noticed when he came to Earth, other than the power he had." The boy paused, thinking through a list of what he could call Vegeta. "He's arrogant too."

"Yeah, mom and the other Gohan said that." Trunks looked down.

Gohan furrowed his brow somewhat at the expression on the teen's face, immediately going to another dirty dish. "Has the other me told you about Namek?"

Trunks shook his head. "You- the other Gohan- never really had the time to say anything."

Gohan nodded. "Well, Vegeta helped us on Namek against these strong fighters." He shoved the images down of the dancing and posing fools. "He may not show he cares often, but you know he does at least a bit when he saves your life." His dark eyes stared at the bubbles. "The partial reason for his actions toward you were because you were a Super Saiyan. You were stronger than him, and he won't allow it. I may not know Vegeta too much right now, but he has a bit of a temper, so don't mind him when you first met him." He offered Trunks a fake smile, which apparently seemed quite real since the teen's face split into a wide smile back.

"Thanks." Trunks felt tempted to hug the boy, but he just smiled like a child getting candy instead. He was glad that his father didn't really hate him. He was just angry at the level Trunks reached.

"Knowing Vegeta though, next time we meet him, he'll be a Super Saiyan."

"Even if we get back there before the three years are up?" Gohan nodded. Trunks chuckled briefly, leaning against the counter. "He's that determined?"

"You have no idea." Gohan finished the dishes and he dried them, putting them away with assistance from the teenager. The silence returned, quiet and calm. The boy would have been completely fine with it continuing on, but Trunks broke it.

"Wait, how are we getting back? The time machine's-"

"I already looked at the machine, when you were asleep." Out of commission would have been too harsh. "I looked over what your mother needed, and apparently, there's a few things that you can't find in this time."

Trunks went pale, an apology almost dripping off his tongue for getting Gohan trapped here. However, a smirk pulled at the young boy's lips, disappearing a moment later.

"I found some materials that can replace the needed ones; we'll just have to be careful." He placed the towel over the empty sink's edge. "We can make it back to my time pretty much whenever we fix the time machine."

The teen stood straighter, flabbergasted. "How long was I out?"

"Not very long." Gohan took a seat at the table. "It doesn't matter when we get the machine fixed, though."

Trunks' gaze questioned him, which Gohan didn't really see. "What do you mean?" He asked aloud.

"I mean, I'm not leaving here until the Androids are no longer a threat." In other words, he would remain in the future until the Androids were destroyed, even if it wouldn't benefit his time directly. He couldn't leave the time when the Androids were running about, killing anything in sight. He'd stay, even if the possibility of survival was low.

"Are you serious?" Honestly, Gohan was shocked that that reaction was Trunks' first. He gave a curt nod. "That could take forever." Trunks added, eyes troubled. "And it's dangerous."

Gohan looked up from his clenched hands on his knees, which the teen didn't notice. "There's a chance that the Androids can be defeated, and with that chance, I'll risk it. There's only two people that can make a real difference, and I won't let those innocent people face them alone. I won't leave you here to fight both of them either."

Trunks searched his younger mentor's face. He knew that the boy's mind was made. Part of the teen was overjoyed at Gohan staying, while the other part was screaming for the teen to just ship off the boy to his time. After a long moment pause, Trunks glanced away and said. "Okay, if that's what you want, but I don't want you to go by yourself. Promise me you won't go fight them alone."

Gohan didn't say anything that involved the conversation at hand, but he stated that he was going into the lab. Trunks let him go. They both needed their space. The teen went into his room and laid down on the bed. The teen found himself yawning, and he stretched, sides splitting. He let out a soft sigh. He guessed he was lucky that Gohan had been there. If not, aching sides and a dull headache would have been the least of him problems.

He turned his head for a more comfortable position on his pillow, yawning yet again. You'd think he wouldn't be tired, yet he was. His eyes slipped closed.

. . . .

Gohan was tinkering with the Gravity Room console, and it was almost finished. He just had to make sure that it wouldn't make the building cave in on itself. He screwed the panel on and pressed a button. The thing hummed on, lights flicking on, and then, it shuddered and turned off. The boy went to the mounds of books, and he selected one that may help him. He opened up the panel and checked everything out.

He saw a wire that was singed, taking it out and replacing it with a better one. Then, he replaced a few more wires and added a few more objects inside the mess of wires. He had just got everything all situated when he felt a KI disappear in the distance. The boy stood and went to the door. He paused, scanning the area for Trunks' energy. He found it still in the teen's room. Obviously, the teen was resting or distracted. Without another thought, the boy shut the door behind him, shooting up into the air toward -presumably- the Androids.

. . . .

Android 17 and 18 had reached a city, and they had their fun at the vendors, stores, and rides the city had for a special event. Neither Android cared to know what the event was for because they were getting what they wanted anyway. Sadly, the place was starting to bore the two siblings, and the people were paying the price. The two Androids began shooting a little after one forty in the afternoon.

The people scrambled away- well most of them. A few had guns aimed at the two since they were the city's police. "Halt," one person stammered out, gun shaking as he pointed it at the two. "We'll shoot."

The crowd of police almost panicked when 17 raised a palm over in their direction. "No, we'll shoot." They all rushed away as the blast headed toward them, but they didn't last very long. The blast struck and that was the end of them.

"I swear, these humans never learn." 18 grumbled, and 17 agreed. They heard screeching over to their left, and they turned to see a bus careening toward them. The bus swerved as it tried to miss them; the driver turned the wheel to prevent them from going toward the Androids. This time, Android 18 brought up her hand, releasing a small ball of energy. The energy darted toward the bus, and its passengers screamed in terror.

When the Androids heard a noise further away, they looked to see 18's ball being pushed away from the bus by another. The two energy balls exploded overhead, not harming any people in the process. The Androids narrowed their eyes at a figure that landed softly a good four meters in front of them. They locked their eyes on the young half-saiyan.

18 stated. "He's mimicking you today, 17."

17 made a face over at her. Gohan took this time to allow his gaze to flicker to the citizens that piled out of the bus, which had crashed into a pole. They all ran the opposite way, a few glancing back his way. His dark eyes found 17 and 18 again. He didn't let the conversation persist. He stepped forward, gaining the Androids' attention. "It doesn't matter what I look like-"

"You look like a porcupine." The female Android commented. Gohan ignored her, and 17 who said that she was right. Gohan got into a stance, telling them his intentions with that one movement.

18 stared at him. "He's eager to die."

17 stepped up next to 18. "If he's so eager, why don't we grant his wish?" A smirk came to the older boy's face.

"Sounds like a promise." She said pointedly.

17 knew all about 18 and keeping her promises. He inclined his head. They shot off, and Gohan ducked out of reach, flying sideways to evade a few attacks. The boy's finger brushed over his tail that was wrapped around his waist, checking to see that it was still there and as hidden as it could be. A swift punch hit the boy in the right arm, and he shielded himself with his left, hitting away 17 with the same arm. His right was brought up as another barrier between 18, which she immediately got rid of.

Her strong punch to his right arm sent him back in the air. The two Androids rushed at him, and he shot himself further into the air. He was definitely glad that he wasn't afraid of heights because this would have been a problem. He swirled in the air, doing half of a backflip, facing the quickly approaching Androids and letting gravity and his speed help him out. He descended, left fist colliding with 18's chest, while he kicked back his left leg as he rotated around, hitting his heel against 17's shin. He had unintentionally put himself in a compromising position.

The two Androids nailed him in the back, sending him forward, only stopping when 18 grabbed hold of his left hand and threw him around. He headed toward 17, who hit him on the cheek with two hands laced together. He held back the scream of pain; meanwhile, 18 pointed a finger at Gohan's back. She shot, and at the last second, Gohan picked up on it, and he slid effortlessly to the side- out of its way. He sped backwards to escape 17's punch, but 18 blocked his path, automatically stopping him.

Gohan whipped around to attack, but 18 had her hands behind her back and kicked him in the chest. His hand immediately clutched his chest as pain shot from it. Then, a powerful fist hit his head, forcing him to the hard ground. Gohan's feet touched and pushed him off, preventing him from crashing into the ground. When his feet hit the ground the second time, his feet indented in the ground as he shot off.

17 came directly at Gohan, ducking under Gohan's right hand, and getting a hit to Gohan's chest again. He gasped, and he shoved 17 away. He exhaled harshly, preparing himself to dart forward, but 18 appeared in his face, and her hit sent him into a building. He hit and yelled out as the pieces basically exploded around him. His eyes clenched closed momentarily, and he didn't realize that his tail unfurled itself from his waist.

He managed to get himself out of the building, but he didn't get to stay in the air. He dropped to the ground. His dark eyes stared up at the Androids.

"Time…" He had a hard time breathing right, let alone speaking right. "Time to take this up a notch." He leaned down some, arms out as he felt the energy from inside grow stronger. He really hoped this worked. The air whipped around him, and his eyes shot to their intense teal color. The energy crawled along, unable to be contained in the body any longer. His hair spiked up and the golden color flashed over his black. He screamed loudly, the ground shaking around him as the wind picked up, pushing out from his body in waves. Sparks darted along the ground as the young Super Saiyan finished his transformation.

It was a little easier than his first, but still the power was overwhelming- to him. The shadows from the golden glow danced as he attacked.

. . . .

Trunks was having a terrible dream. He was running down the street. He saw his mother heading away from him. "Mother, wait!" She continued to get further away. Soon he had to stop. His eyes watched the horizon, watching the last spot he saw his mother. He turned to look over his shoulder as a power spiked up.

He flew toward it, and when he got closer, the wind and rain picked up. The closer he reached the strong power, the more the sky darkened and the weather grew worse. _It was just like when Gohan died._ Trunks' mind told him. His pace increased as did his fears. He wasn't sure who this person was, but he intended to find out. He paused overhead, seeing a whirlwind of air concealing the person inside.

He blinked at the gold sparks darting all through the tornado of air below him. He glanced around when he sensed Gohan. He couldn't find his mentor or the little version of him. He screamed out for Gohan. There was no answer, and the teen grew worried. _Don't go after them, Gohan. I told you that you couldn't beat them alone._

He drifted to the ground next to the tornado, eyes locked on his feet. His bangs flew around in the wind. Both Gohans didn't listen to him. He didn't even feel angry; he felt like he would get sick. Tears formed in his eyes. He was all alone now. The power level next to him went into a downward spiral, plummeting. The wind lessened, and the tornado disappeared.

The power level was there, but there was no one there. His blue eyes found nothing. Then, he felt a strong sense of Gohan's power behind him. He whipped around, seeing as the little Gohan limped over. The boy fell to the ground, his energy signature was very weak and fading.

Trunks snapped up in bed, feeling the real life Gohan in the distance. "Gohan!" He yelled and blasted through the house and toward his friend.

. . . .

Gohan felt his impressive power pale in comparison to the Androids'. They didn't seem harmed or damaged at all, and the boy had lost his Super Saiyan aura. His body sagged, and he narrowed his teal eyes at the two. He was barely holding onto the form, and he felt it slip, disappearing from the lack of energy.

He needed to become stronger; it was a necessity, yet he wasn't even close to the Androids. He wasn't even in the same league as them. He watched them stand next to each other and have their hands close together. He got ready for the blast that has been haunting him for weeks. The blast headed straight for him, and he sent a Masenko of his own. It didn't even halt the moving energy. He leaped to the side, managing to escape the devastating blast, but not the explosion from said blast.

It hit him, making him fly into the air. A few other blasts headed his way, exploding around him and barely missing him. He slipped and went down. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself up to his feet. However, an energy beam collided with him upon standing. He skidded across the ground, coming to a rest on top of a shop that was partially demolished. As soon as he forced himself to his knees, he could only watch as the two Androids appeared on either side of him and swung their hands at Gohan's face.

He ended up rolling along the ground, making his way back to his knees. This was definitely a big coincidence. The boy could only describe it as such, even when there was a hand above his head. However, it wasn't to help him; a KI blast came from it, slamming into Gohan's face. He went into the air and smashed to the ground a moment later. He gritted his teeth, arms starting to shake severely when he pushed himself to his feet. The Androids glared over in his direction, which he returned defiantly.

Along the left side of his face, something warm flowed down, over his eye and down to drip off his chin. He wasn't aware of the blood nor the pain. He pulled up his arms just as the Androids shot blasts at him. The green barrier flashed to protect him. After the blasts stopped coming at Gohan, the barrier disappeared, and out of the smoke, 17 dashed forward, colliding with the young boy. His body flew backward, and he ran into the ground again. This time, he couldn't reach his feet. Instead, he laid there, teeth and eyes clenched together.

His lips pulled back some, breath hissing through his teeth, each time as agonizing as the last. He just couldn't move. He was never going to be as good or strong as his father. His father, who had always been there to get Gohan out of trouble, wasn't here now, and Gohan-

He felt Trunks land near him, and his dark eyes journeyed to the Super Saiyan teen. The young boy saw him glance over at him then back to the Androids. Trunks darted at the two siblings, seemingly without fear. He knew he wasn't strong enough, even to the point of saying it himself, yet he continued on. The boy peered over at the fighting erupting across the street. Gohan thought about his father again. His father wasn't here now, so… Gohan would have to do it himself. He couldn't wait for someone to step it. He had to be the one to stand up and make a difference.

The boy flew up onto his feet, hovering above the ground for a second before his feet touched down back onto the ground. And right now, Trunks needed help! He flew in between the Androids and Trunks, who were a little bit apart. Gohan's eyes traveled to Trunks, and he said. "Let's turn the tables on them."

Hopefully Trunks got the hint, which was apparent because he nodded. "Let's," he agreed.

"Follow my lead," ordered the young boy, and he shot toward the Androids. Trunks hesitated for a moment, but took off after. Gohan nodded toward the right, trying to tell him to go that way. After a few seconds, the teen realized, and he attacked at the Androids' right side, landing a hit on 17. Gohan had tried for the left, but 18 swiped out a hand, almost throwing him across the damaged asphalt. He was back up, heading toward the blonde as Trunks threw a blast at 17, who instantly dodged and punched the teen in the face.

He let out a pained yell, and Gohan appeared before him, yelling out a quick, "Switch." He took the next hit that was meant for Trunks and whipped backward, almost slamming into the teen. The boy swerved to the side to miss the other, and he darted forward again. 17 aimed a hand at the boy, who pulled his body out of the way and to the side. Trunks went for 18, missing completely and getting elbowed in the side. He gasped aloud since she hit one of the many bruises from last time.

He whirled around, releasing a powerful blast, which she let hit her. She wasn't phased; she just grabbed his arm and threw him behind her. Trunks was lifted over the Android's head, and he smashed head-first into Gohan, who was also thrown by an Android. Apparently, the two siblings were a better team by far. The two half breeds parted, pushing off one another and landing beside each other in front of the other two.

Trunks glanced over at Gohan on his left side, noticing the increased heaving of his chest and the blood that flowed from his head. Truth be told, Trunks wasn't in much better shape; he was barely keeping up his Super Saiyan form. The boy next to him lifted off his feet, eyes locked on the Androids.

"Gohan," muttered Trunks quietly. His teal eyes flickered to the boy, whose eyes did the same. "We need to get out of here."

Nothing else needed to be said since their injuries were as clear as the Androids glaring at them. They went to go forward, and Trunks didn't react. However, Gohan flashed in front of him. "Time to go," he stated, hands out and glowing brightly. The Androids finally understood what was happening. They were going to leave. The young boy brought his hands together, almost clapping. Two identical blasts escaped and connected, producing a massive explosion. The boy grabbed hold of Trunks, bringing up his fingers.

Even before the smoke started to form, the two human-saiyan hybrids were gone. Gohan hadn't really picked up on a KI signature, so when they landed, they dropped to the ground, both losing their footing. He had imagined the place; he had imagined Trunks' house, but he couldn't pinpoint an energy source nearby. They lifted themselves up and headed inside quickly.

 ** _(AN: I know Instant Transmission normally needs a person's KI signature and a place, but this is an AU, and there's reasons that Gohan can do the technique so easily. Also, Goku used the technique once without locking on a KI- forgot when exactly though.)_**

. . . .

Trunks closed the door behind them, and he went into the kitchen, seeing Gohan already sitting in a chair. Saying he was annoyed was an understatement; Trunks was furious. "I thought you weren't going to fight them alone?" He bit down most of his anger, but he couldn't hide it all.

"I've never promised anything," Gohan mumbled.

Trunks narrowed his eyes at the wall. "You could have gotten seriously hurt- just look at your face."

Gohan tilted his head, confused. He rose a hand, placing it first along his right side, moving it to the left. The hand came away bright red and dripping.

Trunks came over with a cloth. "Let me help." His anger was diminishing because of the problem at hand.

The young boy waved him off. "Head wounds generally bleed more than others. It's because of the skin and more blood inside it." He wiped off his hand on his pants. Trunks gave a tiny smile, but still insisted on cleaning it up. Gohan immediately urged Trunks to forget the injury.

Trunks held up the clean cloth. "Everyone needs help eventually, Gohan."

Gohan's dark eyes drifted to lock with Trunks' colorful ones. Minutes passed until Gohan nodded. "O-Okay."

The teen gently cleaned the wound, but as he finished and stepped back, he froze at the mark.

* * *

 _ **(Next Time: Teamwork!**_

 _ **Let's just say Trunks and Gohan officially team up against the Androids, and more nightmares for Gohan.**_ _ **)**_

Reviews:

Gohanforever/ NinjaFang1331/ Kakazustash: Thanks, glad you're enjoying the story so far.

Guest: It is possible, since they meet quite a few Vegetas in their travels.

Leo the zodiac: Yeah, I've never been good at summaries. And thanks man.

Cruzerblade: The drugged up Trunks wasn't too entertaining I bet, but here it is, and I'm totally pleased to hear that the fights are well done. I thought they would come out bad. Apparently, not really then.


	7. Chapter 7

_**(I apologize for the slow chapter updates, but here it is. Thanks to all who actually read this, favorited, reviewed, and followed.)**_

 _ **Chapter 7: Teamwork!**_

Gohan looked over at him. "What's wrong?"

Trunks came closer, eyes locked on his face. He was speechless and his gaze became intense. His index finger prodded the mark on the boy's face. "You… Your mark is exactly like… Goh- the other Gohan's." He brought his hand away as if it were burned, eyes round.

Gohan's fingers skimmed the mark lightly. The mark was diagonal, staring at his forehead and ending at the edge of his face. Trunks' mouth moved as he stared. Gohan shrugged a shoulder, words leaving him momentarily. He blankly stared at his hands on his knees. "It's nothing really." The tone of his voice was reserved.

The memories hit Trunks like a freight train, and he swallowed. The anger from before came back, and he clenched the rag in his hands. "You can't go after them alone, Gohan." He said with force. "If you keep this up, that mark on your face won't be the only thing that you have to worry about." The rag was squished in the teen's hand as he paused. "You have to let me fight with you."

Gohan remained silent, eyes on his hands.

"Gohan!" The teen tried to gain the boy's attention. He repeated his name again, voice rising a bit. "You can't-"

"Perhaps you're right." Finally, the boy spoke up. Trunks blinked his eyes at the quiet boy. Gohan added. "It would be better if we worked together."

"You're not going to just say that and leave are you?" The teen asked skeptically. He remembered when the other Gohan had agreed to let him come and fight with him, and he was knocked unconscious.

Gohan shook his head, turning his eyes toward the teen. "Our chances are better when we work together. The Androids team up on us, so it would be better to get up our chances with our own team." The boy took a shaky breath, hand rubbing his chest unconsciously. "If we team up-" He was completely cut off guard when he had an armful of teen.

Trunks had hugged him, grinning from ear to ear. "Yes," he cheered a bit.

"Have you ever…" Gohan's voice trailed off.

Trunks stepped away, releasing the other, with a shake of his head. "I wasn't strong enough to fight. I just got in the way."

Gohan flashed a smile. "Now you're strong enough. Gohan would be proud."

"You think so?" Trunks beamed.

Gohan nodded, standing. "What about your injuries?"

. . . .

After they were all bandaged up and cleaned, they took a seat at the neglected chairs that served as the living room. Gohan read a book, while Trunks listened to the radio. Suddenly, Gohan spoke up. "As I tried to say before," he snickered when Trunks stammered out something. "When we team up, one of us can distract the Androids, while the other gets the people out of harm's way."

Trunks thought to himself for a bit. "That may work. You definitely thought about this, haven't you?"

Gohan gripped the book edges. Of course he thought about teaming up. It would be beneficial to them both. They'd have "backup" as some people may say. They would be able to save more people, but then again, the person who would be keeping the Androids occupied would be put in danger. It was possible that the person would perish, but the pros outweighed the cons.

"I'll distract the Androids the first time." Trunks stated, glancing sideways at the other.

Gohan set the book in his lap. "We'll take turns."

Trunks nodded eagerly. He wasn't looking forward to fighting the Androids- he never did- but with this formation of a team, they at least had a plan.

. . . .

The day passed, and Trunks realized that they didn't head over to Capsule Corp yet. He turned to the clock, noting the late time, and he thought Gohan would be asleep. They'd just have to go over there tomorrow. He turned onto his side to glance over at the wall. He slowly drifted to sleep.

. . . .

The teen placed his hands on his face and groaned. A creak came from across the room, and he withdrew his hands and sat up. The door opened more to reveal darkness. He turned to glance at the clock, only to find clock's glow to be fading. He reached his feet and went over to the door, stumbling.

He peeked out, finding a source of light that came from the kitchen a little ways down the hall. He made the journey to the kitchen and looked around. No one was inside the house when he searched for a recognizable KI. However, there was one outside. He went outside, heading toward the KI. He grew closer and saw an outline of a figure in the distance. He hesitated with the name on his tongue.

It couldn't be his mother, could it? He went closer, and the figure's head turned to the side, blue hair caught in the moonlight. His breath hitched. _Mom?_ He grinned and ran forward. A shot of pale light shot through his mother's chest. He stumbled to stop himself from running. His mother's hand went out to him. "Trunks… Run…" With that, she collapsed, and laughter came from just behind her.

Trunks turned the other way and jumped back inside the house, locking the doors behind him. He backed away, panting and hands clenched. "Morning to you too, Little Brother."

Trunks spun around. "Gohan! You're alive?!" There stood the older Gohan- Trunks' mentor and best friend.

"Strange, isn't it?" Gohan turned his hands this way and that. He smiled brightly at his young pupil. "Looks like you met another me, huh?"

Trunks dumbly nodded, and Gohan chuckled. He turned around, and Trunks closed his eyes in a blink. When the blue eyes opened, they were met with a young Gohan, scar present on his face already.

"Morning." Gohan smiled slightly.

Trunks held his head in confusion. "How- What-"

"Just sit down and relax." The young boy went back to the stove. A silence enveloped the two when the teen sat down. Scents of food filled the air, and Trunks' stomach growled, destroying the silence _and_ destroying the peace as well.

The door splintered and flew in, showing two Androids standing there. A strong energy blast from 18 struck the young Gohan in the chest. He didn't even scream; he only placed a hand over the wound. His eyes watered as he stared at the teen. Trunks inhaled sharply.

The young boy dropped his hand and swayed. He dropped to his knees and said a soft goodbye, and Trunks hollered out for him to stay awake. The boy's eyes grew less focused as the Androids stated.

"How many Gohans are there," 17 questioned in annoyance.

18 shrugged. "Doesn't matter. They're both dead."

"Everyone's dead, right?"

"Now they are…" 18 drew up a hand, pointing it at a saddened Trunks.

. . . .

He was startled awake, body shaking and hands clammy. He thrashed around, the dream hanging around his head still. His eyes opened and found Gohan standing next to him, eyes troubled. "Are you okay?" The young boy asked him.

He nodded instantly. "I'm fine." He found the nod turning into a shake of his head. "I don't… No, I'm just fine." He looked across the room, eyes flicking to the other every once in awhile.

Gohan stood there silently for a bit until he moved to sit next to Trunks. "Everyone has nightmares, even me." He hugged his knees somewhat, gaze in the direction of Trunks'. "Nightmares are just created by your mind. They might have happened or they never existed in the first place. The fact is that they are there- in your mind. Nightmares, if they are real or could be real, can be stopped- prevented. They do not need to happen. You choose whether or not to allow it. You may have to go through some nightmares, but eventually, your other dreams can overcome them. Hope can drive a person through many things, and you can't let that go. Hope, love, and friendship will help you get rid of your nightmares. Never forget them, Trunks." He glanced over at the dumbstruck teen.

He withdrew himself from the bed and went to the door. He stopped, hand on the door frame. Turning over his shoulder, he smiled at his friend. Yes, Trunks was his friend, probably best friend by now- maybe his only real friend other than his parents' friends.

"I'm always here if you need me." He went to leave, but Trunks' voice stopped him.

"You can stay- if you want."

Gohan went back to the bed, sitting next to him. Trunks relaxed and laid back down. He yawned.

"... Night Gohan…" The teen closed his eyes and waited for the dreams or nightmares to come. After a while, Gohan observed Trunks and noticed his breathing becoming deeper, signalizing that the other was asleep.

"Good night." He hesitated. "... Brother..?" He headed out of the room and to the back room. He thought about what he told Trunks, and he agreed with what was said. The nightmares would come, and it was necessary to face them, but he shouldn't give up on any of his other dreams. He picked up a screwdriver and screwed a few things on the console.

After hours of working on the Gravity Room, he decided to go and rest. He slid under the covers and looked to the ceiling. He lifted his left hand and rested it against the wound on his face. He desperately wished the nightmares wouldn't come, but that was all he could do. It wasn't enough, but Gohan intended to go through with the nightmares. He could take them, or so he hoped.

. . . .

The young boy shifted on his bed, eyes fluttering at the sheer brightness above him. He raised his left hand, which was still on his face, and watched it begin to glow, and it broke apart, bright yellow, similar to the gold of a Super Saiyan. He made it to his feet, glancing around at his surroundings. He was in his room at his house, blue sheets on the bed, partially open window to the left, and desk and chair to the right. He turned to his golden left arm, and he waited for the gold to evaporate, revealing his normal arm underneath.

He went to the window, looking out as he opened it further for the fresh air. He leaned against the window sill. The breeze and the boy was the only thing for miles. He leaned into the breeze and smiled lightly. He heard a noise behind him, and he immediately got ready for a fight. He whipped around, arms up and nearly punching his opponent. He paused when he came face-to-face with his dad.

"Easy, it's just me." His dad laughed, making Gohan crack a smile.

"Sorry, dad. I'm just jumpy, I guess." He rested against the window sill again, eyes taking in outside of his house.

His dad leaned on the sill next to him. "It's alright." He smiled brightly at the blue sky and animals running about. "Not many places like this in the future, ay Gohan?"

The boy shook his head. "Not really. Most of them were destroyed, and if they weren't, they're going to be."

His dad made a face. "I can't believe all of us were killed when the Androids attacked. I wish I was stronger."

"Me too," whispered Gohan. "I wish none of you had to die."

His dad smiled over at him. "This time will be different though. Trunks told me beforehand."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Gohan smiled weakly at the man.

The full-blooded saiyan grinned. "We'll be just fine, just you wait until you get back!" He placed a hand on his son's hair, ruffling it up. "I think it's time for a haircut, though."

Gohan chuckled a bit, pushing some of the ruffled hair out of his eyes. "Yes sir." His hair was released when his dad's expression grew serious- almost like Krillin was killed again serious. The boy bit the inside of his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"What did those Androids look like?"

Gohan looked outside. "Why," he started to sweat.

His dad's gaze softened. "I'm sorry, son, but they're here." They both whipped their heads to the door as it smashed open. His dad quickly turned to him. "Gohan, you know what comes next. I'm-" The man's eyes rolled back into his head, and he crumbled, landing on Gohan. Gohan caught him, body shaking as he lowered the deceased man to the ground. Red dripped out of the man's mouth and piled onto the floor. He felt like he was going to cry again, but he didn't get the time. In fact, his mom's screams were heard from outside, and he took off.

He jumped through the window, ending up in a scene from a freaky horror movie. Bodies of his loved ones lay discarded in the ground, covering everywhere Gohan looked. Red splattered along the ground and down the trees. Gohan tripped somehow, landing among the bodies. He jumped to his feet, eyes on the blood all over his hands. His breath caught. _It'll be different this time_ , his father's voice rang in his head.

The young boy closed his hands, making the blood travel down to the ground more. He wobbled among the bodies, careful not to step on any of them. He stopped at a familiar bald man that was about his size. The eyes stared dully from within their sockets. A whisper came along with the next breeze, which both turned cold and harsh. Another whisper echoed in his ear. He couldn't understand what they said, but he didn't like them. The low whispers made the boy put his hands over his ears.

"Stop this please." He frowned as the sky darkened near to a black. "Please… Why do you kill all the time?" He sank to the ground, vision becoming blurry.

The whispers were back. "Gohan, we needed you… Where are you..? You didn't stop them… You let them kill another time…"

He suddenly made it to his feet, face gradually becoming determined. His hands immediately turned to fists when he stood up. He walked on, maneuvering himself through the crowd of bodies. He stuck out his chin, going forward. He refused to let the tears fall, and he made his way along, in a direction that he had a feeling about. He felt- he wasn't sure how to describe it- that the Androids were this way. With every step, the feeling grew, and then, he was sprinting toward the feeling.

He only stopped when he saw the body of his mother. He just stared, holding back the tears at the sight of her head twisted at an odd angle. His wound on the left side of his face ached, and he clutched it with his left hand. It began to burn, and he bit back a scream. He continued on his way, heading for the Androids. However, when he reached where the feeling was most intense, he saw Trunks fighting the two Androids. The golden teen yelled out as he attacked the two Androids by himself.

Trunks was fighting, but compared to the Androids, he was standing. They sent punch after punch, hitting him each time. Gohan saw the blonde Android raise a right hand, striking Trunks backward, and the male Android swirled his hands around, twin balls of energy in each. They hit the teen, who smashed to the ground far below. Trunks panted somewhat, but other than that, he didn't do anything else.

The youngest in the vicinity went forward, but he was prevented from going over to his friend's side because the two Androids were automatically upon him. An elbow to the left side of his face sent it burning even more, and the blood rolled down from the wound. He clenched his wound with his right hand while he sent a blast at the two Androids before him. It hit them, but it didn't slow them down. He hit 17 away with his left hand, and he defended his right side, kicking out his right leg.

He dropped his right hand from his face and released some energy from his entire body in a huge rush. The Androids blew back a bit, but they were right on him again. A hit to his face again made him yell out, and then, another fist collided in the exact same spot. His body shot to the ground, and he hit the ground, rolling to his feet with the help of his left arm to shove him into the air. A knee connected with his stomach, and the breath left him. He glared at the dark-haired Android, gaze wavering a bit. He was pushed back to the ground. He stayed on his feet, hands tightening at the two, who also touched down on the ground.

"You can't kill all these people." The boy told them, eyes locked on the two of them. "One of these times, your actions will catch up to you."

18 huffed. "Oh, please, and who's going to do that?"

17 just glared at him.

For once, Gohan wasn't at the least afraid. He was annoyed and may have slightly pitied them. The boy shook his head. Something must have contributed to their hatred of the humans.

17 swore at him and said. "We don't want your pathetic pity, so stop!" A sharp pain exploded when the Android struck Gohan in the face again.

18 followed suit, targeting Gohan's right side of his body, and yelling, "That's enough!"

Together, they beat the boy, who tried to evade their attacks. It didn't matter. His body refused to work any longer, and he discovered that the last hit sent him into the ground, and he couldn't move. He landed on his stomach, and his vision swayed and came into and out of focus as the dust descended on him from his fall.

A voice commanded him to stand. "Get up, Gohan." This voice didn't seem too familiar, but he was compelled to listen. He couldn't even speak. _I-I can't._ "Of course you can! When you're dead, you can't stand. Are you dead?"

"No."

"Can you feel your legs?"

"Not really."

"Well, it doesn't matter. You can stand up without feeling them. Just one foot after another."

Gohan listened to the voice, stiffly reaching his feet.

"Nice job. Now, fight. You can do it."

The young boy wiped the blood out of his eyes as the burning grew worse.

"Use the pain, remember all those that they hurt- who they _could_ hurt."

The boy launched toward the Androids, only to get smacked around between them and land crumbled against a wall of some sort. His dark eyes drifted over the wall behind him, finding Capsule Corp behind him. He gritted his teeth, managing to make it to his feet again.

"Keep it up, Gohan."

Gohan slumped against the building, staring at the approaching Androids. "I'm-I'm trying- to-"

A shadowy figure appeared before him. "Let me handle this." The shadowy figure glanced at Gohan, and he was met with a blurry image of himself, just older, and with the same wound on his face. The wound's redness disappeared, leaving only a scar in its place. The figure dodged various attacks, while protecting Gohan. His dark eyes couldn't keep up with the fighting until everything stopped.

Gohan's mouth dropped at the sight before him. 18 had impaled the shadowy Gohan in the stomach with a beam from her finger, and 17- Gohan's eyes widened at the closeness of the other Android. The Android went to deliver a skin piercing punch to the young boy, and it drove through Gohan's chest, even though- somehow- the older Gohan had appeared to try to take the hit for him. Both had a gaping wound in their chest as 17 pulled back his hand.

Tears sprang up to the young boy's eyes, and the shadowy Gohan's darkened face split into a smile. "You're… You're almost there… You ju-just need more.. train… training." His larger hand went to Gohan's chest, landing on the gaping wound. "Don't let this get it the way when you have to kill them." A string of red ran down the other Gohan's chin.

For a moment, Gohan was looking through both eyes- both his own and the shadowy Gohan's eyes. He saw the younger version of himself almost crying, and he saw the older Gohan smiling until the face turned serious. He still couldn't quite make out the older version's features, but he could tell the expression was serious and the scar was present. After having two views for a second, his vision spun, and he opened his eyes to see the other Gohan fade in gold.

The young boy's eyes dried up, and his knees gave out. He landed on the ground with a thud. He felt the warm liquid flow out of his mouth again. This time he called it as it was; it was _blood_. He saw everything fading around him as the Androids towered over him.

"Sweet dreams." 18 said as 17 smirked.

"We can both see you're all choked up, so we'll leave you to it."

18 waved her hand. "Have fun dying and all."

A pale blast came from 17's hand just as the wound on Gohan's face burned. The blast hit, and he screamed.

. . . .

He screamed himself awake, gasping and clutching at the left side of his face. He could almost feel the blood still oozing out of his face. He could have sworn the pain was still there, and the warmth expanded from it as the blood made its way off his chin. He pulled his hand away, trying to calm his breathing.

He gaped at the red in his palm, and he rushed to the bathroom, flicking on the light and turning on the water in the sink. He splashed cold water on the freshly opened cut. _That nightmare was definitely different._ He thought bitterly. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, almost running out of the bathroom when he thought he saw the shadowy figure of the older Gohan.

Fortunately for him, he relaxed a bit and double checked the face peering back at him. It was obviously him, seven-years-old and all. He put more cold water on his injury, hoping the swelling wouldn't be bad. He made his way back to the bedroom with a big bandage over his cut and eye. He hopped into bed and glanced at the clock, furrowing his brow. According to the clock, his nightmare had lasted only an hour and a half. He shook his head, staring at the dimly lit ceiling overhead.

He found himself too awake, so he made his way to the back room. He had to work on the Gravity Room tonight, and he must get it done soon.

. . . .

Morning came, and Trunks woke up from a nightmare-less sleep. He made his way to the sound of cooking in the kitchen, and he greeted Gohan, who nodded back in acknowledgement. The young boy finished breakfast, setting down the plates for both of them.

Trunks took a small bite, and he dug in in the next moment. "This- is- _great_!" He said between mouthfuls, and Gohan smiled lightly. Trunks didn't notice how Gohan put some of his food on the extra plate that resided on the counter.

"There's more if you want some." Gohan picked at his food, deep in thought. He missed Trunks' second thank you, and he missed the teen's praise the second time. He stared at his food, and he bit back a sigh. These nightmares of his were so strange. The boy excused himself, even though Trunks was too involved with the food at the moment to really realize, but Trunks did make a small noise to say he heard and continued eating.

Gohan went into the bathroom, rummaging around in cupboards. He saw what he was looking for, and he grabbed hold of it. The scissors gleamed in the artificial light, and dark eyes stared into dark pools when Gohan went to the mirror. He brought the scissors up, level with his face. He had taken off the bandages when he had sensed Trunks moving around in his room, so he didn't need to take it off now. He brought the scissors close to his eyes and paused.

He snipped the scissors closed, trimming his bangs, and he grabbed hold of the wolf-tail behind him. He cut it at the base of his neck. He disposed of the hair in the garbage and looked at his reflection.

 _ **(AN: His haircut is basically like the Cell Games haircut.)**_

A smile drifted onto his face, growing a little bigger as he caught the reflection following the action. He drew himself straighter and turned his head, making sure everything was straight enough for his liking, even if his hair wasn't exactly straight at all. He exited the bathroom after putting the scissors on the side of the sink. He was met with a guilty-looking Trunks. He tilted his head, eyes catching the empty plates, except for his own that remained full on the table.

"Sorry, I was…" Trunks couldn't find the right words to apologize for eating all of the food.

Gohan shrugged a shoulder, smile still present on his face. "It's okay. I'm not that hungry anyway. You can have the rest of mine if you want."

"You-You sure," asked the teen hopefully.

"Yes, of course." Gohan covered a soft chuckle at the other, who scooped up the plate and basically devoured it. The younger boy's smile didn't falter when Trunks mentioned Capsule Corp. "Weren't we supposed to go there yesterday?"

Trunks nodded a few times. "Mhm." He swallowed the last bits of food, and he had the decency to place the dishes in the sink and rinse them off real quick. "We should head over there soon."

Gohan went to the door. "Ready, Little Brother?" The corners of his mouth twitched up in a smirk for a moment when Trunks went red from either indignation or embarrassment. The younger male stepped out of the house, and Trunks followed afterward. They took to the air, flying to Capsule Corporation.

. . . .

They reached their destination in less than an hour, landing a top of a hill of some sort. The hill was covered in a soft layer of grass and overlooked craters and parts of a damaged city below. Dark eyes rose to the window, which had a slight crack at the top left. They journeyed to the door, and the nightmare crept up on Gohan. He shoved it down, and he exhaled, stepping in behind the teen.

After closing the door, Gohan took in the inside of the house; it was definitely different than his dreams. A sigh of relief parted his lips, and he glanced over at Trunks, who was moving through the place, hands skimming over things in thought. Trunks remembered the last time he had been here. Shortly after Gohan's death, they chose to abandon the place, which stuck out like a sore thumb because of it being on a hill.

It hasn't always been on a hill. In fact, it used to be part of the city below until the Androids destroyed everything around it, somehow missing the house. Trunks was glad about that, even if they hadn't been home at the time. A smile bloomed on his face at all of the memories that were brought out of the back of his mind. There was so many good memories in this place. While he reminisced, Gohan went to the window and stared outside. He wasn't about to interrupt the teen, so he watched everything happening out the window.

Admittedly, Gohan prefered looking outside at _his_ house. It was calm and peaceful, not yet marked by any human or machine really. It didn't promise death or pain either. The boy frowned, hands behind his back, and his tail tightening around his waist. He had been keeping it there, trying to form a habit of keeping it hidden in case the Androids attacked. He just despised the idea of them touching or getting the notion that they could handle the tail in such manner.

He shoved those thoughts out of his brain, turning around to observe his surroundings for a second time. His eyes picked up on a black metal object. It had remains of what used to be golden letters on the side, and it had a wheel on the side and a pin on the top that seemed to hold a spool of thread. He moved over to the sewing machine, which rested on a polished wooden table. "Hey, Trunks, did Bulma sew?"

Trunks spoke up from across the room. "Not really, my mother just grabbed it to preserve it. That's why there's so much here. She picked up things since everything was being destroyed one way or another." He came over to the young boy's side.

"May I?"

Trunks nodded. "Go ahead."

Gohan fiddled around with it, messing with its parts and attempting to turn it on. He looked underneath the table and discovered a small drawer. Opening it, it revealed a small book. It had directions and anything else you'd find in a service manual. He studied the diagrams and skimmed through the pages. Meanwhile, Trunks watched with slight curiosity at the boy's process. Soon enough, the young boy had the machine working, and he smiled brightly at the success, especially when he tested out the machine on two small pieces of torn fabric that he saw off to the side.

Trunks stared in awe as the boy made a perfect stitch. "Have you ever sewn before?"

A shake of the boy's head answered his question. "From the directions, it seemed to be pretty easy."

"I thought it was difficult." He chuckled nervously. "Maybe I should have read the directions though, that might have helped."

"It helps some people."

"And some people have a knack for it."

A slight tinge of pink brushed along the boy's features at Trunks' playful grin. He rubbed the back of his neck with a faint chuckle. "What can I say to that?"

"I don't know, maybe say, 'Thanks for the compliment, Trunks,' or something along those lines." He was still teasing the other boy. The grin was slightly wider than before.

A tiny smile formed on the reddened face. "Oh, okay, thanks for telling me that I'm a genius at sewing, makes me feel important." A bit of sarcasm dripped into his voice, but he remained joking. "Maybe when this is over, I can become an expert sewist. You can be my assistant."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm holding you to that."

Gohan chuckled lightly. "It's a deal then." They raised their hands at the same time, preparing to use a shake as the commitment. At the last second, before they grasped hands, Gohan pulled his hand away with a small grin.

Trunks faked disappointment. "Oh no, you're not backing out are you?"

"Never in a million years." The grin broke through Trunks' false dismay at Gohan's response. The boy added. "Perhaps, in a million and one years though."

Trunks cracked up a bit, laughing aloud. He couldn't stop himself.

"What? I'm serious."

Trunks paused and studied the boy, who looked very solemn, except for the mischievous gleam in his eyes. The younger boy burst out with a few chuckles, causing Trunks to immediately join in. The laughter died down after some minutes, and the two returned to the machine before them. Gohan asked if they had any fabric somewhere, and Trunks brought him a large box full of different materials, colors, and cloth types.

The boy thanked him, digging through the box, selecting fabric that was both durable and flexible. He placed the ones that weren't strong and were stiff back inside the box. He made sure to test how it stretched between his fingers. The ones that stayed together in one piece were kept outside the box. His eyes looked at the fabrics on the floor. There was mainly deep purple, bright dark green, black, red, and dark blue. Trunks grabbed two seats- one for him and another for Gohan. The boy took it and sat down in front of the sewing machine.

Deftly maneuvering the fabric, he began to sew without measuring out anything. After he got the hang of it, Gohan increased his speed somewhat. Trunks observed the other's movements with a bit of confusion and wonder. The two half-saiyans remained in their positions for a long time, clearly, because when they finally moved and Gohan stopped, there were two outfits.

One of the outfits was a green shirt with black pants and a black long-sleeve undershirt. The green short-sleeve was cut down the middle and would need to be held closed with a belt of some sort, which was made black to match the undershirt and pants. The other outfit held more meaning to the young boy. The Gi was a purple suit, almost identical to Piccolo's, minus the sky blue obi- or sash. Gohan's had a red sash that would go around his waist, and he had created two wristbands that were a dark blue in remembrance of his father. He would have made the sash dark blue as well, but there wasn't enough fabric to make it, and red just felt like it belonged, not necessarily matching with the other colors.

He just wanted the sash red, nothing else.

 _ **(AN: The first outfit is similar to the Great Saiyaman clothes, and the other one is basically what Gohan wore for the Cell Games, only with a red sash- not a blue one.)**_

He looked over to Trunks, and he saw the teen dozing in the chair. He put all of the materials away, sliding them underneath the table as he folded up the outfits and put them on top of the closed box. He went over to Trunks and poked him on the forehead. "I think it's time to wake up." Lightly, he prodded the other with his finger. "Wake up Trunks."

Trunks' nose crinkled up, and he turned his head to the side to escape the boy's prodding. "Do I have to?"

"You should," replied Gohan.

Trunks opened his eyes with a yawn. "What are we going to do now?"

"Lunch probably." Gohan offered a hand to help the teen to his feet. Trunks took it and reached his feet. The younger one strolled over to the door, hand resting on the door handle when the hairs on his neck stood up. An eerie atmosphere settled around him, and the other didn't seem aware of the change. He shrugged it off and stepped outside, holding the door open for Trunks.

When Trunks stepped outside as well, the feeling returned. The boy's brows pinched together at the feeling, which disappeared a little afterward. "Maybe I can cook lunch instead," offered the older half-saiyan.

"Whatever you want, Trunks." The young boy smiled briefly, clamping down the uneasy feeling again. He made sure to hide his distress, and he lifted off his feet. "C'mon, we're wasting daylight." He took to the air, and Trunks paused at the outburst, but he shook his head and followed after the boy, smile wide on his face.

"Wait for me!" He caught up with the boy, and they flew next to each other for awhile in a calm silence. There was no need to speak any words; they were just content to let the other be with his own thoughts.

They were heading toward the other house when Gohan sensed it. A dozen of energies vanished a long way away. He stopped in mid-air as the feeling surfaced again.

Trunks paused a few feet away, staring at the boy. "What's wrong-?" He stopped in the middle of his sentence as he felt the people dying. They both automatically took off toward the city. "Ready for this, Gohan?" His blue eyes darted to land on the young boy, who kept pace with him and nodded.

"Ready."

When they reached the city, they looked at one another real quick and parted ways. Gohan descended to the ground below as Trunks transformed into a Super Saiyan and met the Androids head on. Gohan landed in front of the crowd that attempted to head toward the Androids in hope of leaving the island they were on. Gohan tried to tell them to head in the other direction when a woman with black hair and purple eyes stepped forward, face set. "Why should we listen to you? You're like two."

A bit of annoyance rose up at the age. He was about to correct her; he was a stickler on getting things right since he first arrived at this time. However, it wasn't the best idea to comment when the Androids stood over their heads. Gohan started to speak. "If you head that way, you'll be-"

The woman glared her eyes at him. "The bridge to get off this island is that way." She pointed in the not-so-convenient way that happened to be basically underneath the Androids.

"Please, miss, there must be boats or something that could bring you across the wa-"

"Do you know who I am?" The woman barked out, and Gohan knew that his answer would enrage her, so he opted to not say that he had absolutely no clue and that it didn't seem too important to him. At least he didn't learn _that_ habit from his dad. Yeah, that was the best action he could have done because if he did, who knows what would have occurred. The woman's eyes flashed. "I'm Videl Satan you little punk!"

An elderly woman commented afterward. "The daughter of Hercule Satan. He was the sole protector of our great city, young one."

"Ring a bell kid?"

Gohan opened his mouth to speak, but closed it on account of the woman's intense gaze. He definitely didn't need to make the situation worse. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, miss Videl Satan, I do not know…"

A slap to his cheek left a red mark along the left side of his face. The young boy took a step back as the burning blossomed along the mark and the healing wound beside it- well directly under it more like it. Along with the slap and pain, the boy felt his anger boil beneath his calm exterior. "My father protected this city until today, and I intend to protect it without the help of a toddler."

Gohan instructed himself to relax. He blew out a soft breath and tried to say something. Unfortunately, anything he said would anger the witch before him no doubt.

"Now go off and run to mommy and daddy, kid. Let the big kids handle this." She was the daughter of Mr. Satan, and she wasn't going to let this little kid get hurt or tell her what to do. She didn't care if he came to "help." They could help themselves just fine!

Gohan clenched his jaw, most likely the pain from his injury causing the discomfort, leading to the slight annoyance rising. _Easy, Gohan._ He nodded to himself. His dark eyes lifted up to connect with the intense purple ones of the woman in front of him. "I'm not trying to be rude, Miss, but shouldn't the people get off the island as quick as possible, even if you are to trying to protect them."

The woman paused, studying the child before her. He made some sense, but he did say "trying." Her frustration grew at the young boy, only being reduced when she met a soft innocent smile.

The feeling returned, and Gohan insisted that the air temperature plummeted around him. He whipped his head to see the fight between the Androids and Trunks. The female Android landed a hit on the teen, sending him flying back. Trunks caught himself, but 18 dug an elbow in his back, sending him toward 17, who raised a hand, an energy ball forming. "Trunks!" He yelled, fingers immediately snapping to his forehead.

He disappeared, teleporting above Trunks and landing a sideways kick on 17's head, whose body flashed to the side from the impact. He turned around, sending several energy blasts at 18, who dodged most of them. He turned his eyes on the teen.

"Switch."

Trunks gaped at him, teal eyes locked on the other's teal ones. "You're a Sup-Super…"

The narrowing of the intense eyes sent Trunks the other way with a fast nod, heading toward the people below. He turned to the Androids, who were glaring daggers at him as they traveled to float next to each other.

. . . .

The purple eyes of the woman went round as the boy from before disappeared from view, flashing up to where the fight was developing. "Eh-eh?" She saw the Androids both take a hit as the boy was surrounded by a strange golden glow, hair turning blond and eyes changing to another color that she couldn't distinguish on the ground.

A masculine voice from the crowd behind her muttered. "And you slapped _that_ in the face?"

A chill ran up the woman's spine. It was impossible- _unbelievable_. Her eyes were locked on the small figure that flew through the air, ducking, dodging, and landing a few hits on the two Androids above. She missed the other blond male land before them. The teen ushered everyone the way that Gohan had instructed them to head, eyes going to the hushed woman staring at the scene way above them. "How- How can a kid-"

Trunks waited for the others to head to the docks then he walked up alongside the perplexed woman. "Excuse me, but we should head out."

The woman numbly nodded her head. She stumbled along in a daze, totally confused how a mere child could do such things when her father never stood a chance. She whipped around to face the blond teen. "You! Who is that kid?"

Trunks was a bit startled, enough so that he stepped back. "I'm-"

"Tell me," she commanded the teen. Then an explosion lit up the street, and her rough exterior vanished. She jumped and let the teen guide her to the last boat, her eyes showing her panic.

"When you reach land, keep going. Don't return here." Trunks said in a rush. He could feel Gohan's KI slipping a bit. With a slight shove, the boat was in the water all the way, and it paddled away from the destruction behind it.

The woman's mouth stood agape as the teen flew up to where the fight was. Soon, the figures that fought above her city grew to the size of ants, and soon, the city was left behind. Her city was just another one destroyed by those Androids; another claimed by those monsters, but this time, they could laugh at the Androids. Most of them were alive because of the two going against those monsters.

Videl Satan let out a saddened, yet grateful smile as she caught the last glimpse of the city. They were allowed to leave in one piece and not in body bags, which she knew was too much of a luxury, especially now with the rampaging duo. She didn't know what could be said about the two fighters they left; she betted that the same couldn't be said about them.

. . . .

How right she was too. 18 landed a hit when Gohan tried to push her away with his left hand, and his ears picked up the crack of a bone somewhere in his arm. He bit back a pained yell and punched the Android with his other hand. 17 swung in from his left side, going for the weakened one. Gohan's left hand still shot out, bashing back the Android despite the shooting pain that came from the action. A blast headed toward him, and Gohan moved his head out of the way at the last second.

The blast exploded down in the city below, but Gohan wasn't too worried about it since everyone was on the other side, except for Trunks and that woman from before. He shot up into the sky, and the Androids followed him. He stopped abruptly and flipped over them. An energy blast escaped through his palm, striking the two Androids. He jumped back through the air to escape the smoke that came with the blast upon exploding.

He should be able to see them coming from this distance, but just his luck, the smoke cleared, and there were no Androids there. He really wished he could sense them; he drove out his other senses, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. He concentrated, and the feeling from before rose up. His head snapped up just as 17's fists smashed on the top of it. "Don't beat yourself up kid." A smirk pulled at the male Android's mouth. "You have us to do that for you."

"He's got a point." Her voice sounded right by Gohan's right ear. He glanced over his shoulder, and as if everything was in slow motion, he watched the female's hand form a fist, and she plowed it straight into his face. His eyes closed at the impact, and his body darted forward, colliding with another hand- 17's hand- that forced him sideways through the air. His teeth clenched together to hold in a groan.

He recovered soon enough, but he didn't dodge quick enough because 18's foot caught his shin, and 17's hand hit with his chest. Gohan's body began to go limp as he lost altitude. Something- no _someone_ \- caught him and held him in the air. His teal eyes fluttered open to glance up at Trunks. Trunks released Gohan, who managed to right himself in the air. Harsh breaths rushed from his mouth as the boy stared toward the Androids.

The pain in his chest was sharp, but Gohan shoved it out of his mind. The two super saiyans glanced over at each other. Gohan nodded and asked. "Ready?"

"Ready!" They sprung forward, charging toward the two Androids who apparently did the same. The four people clashed in the sky, creating a sound that rattled the windows in the city below and scared some birds into flying away. The two half-breeds were lacking in the teamwork department, accidentally slamming into each other from the Androids' quick movements.

Trunks swiped out 17's feet just as Gohan shot a Masenko at 18. The blast was powerful enough to force her into 17, making her roll along his back and come at Trunks, a right hand clocking the teen in the face. Gohan appeared next to them, pushing Trunks to the side as 18 aimed for him again. This time, she got air, and she hissed. "Why you little brat!"

Gohan's face lit up in white-hot pain when she hit him, but he flew forward, slamming into the other. He saw Trunks heading his way, and he dropped, distracting the Android for a split second. It gave Trunks some time to land a hard blow to her cheek. He jumped back, standing beside the younger boy whose breath came out in rasps. His left hand hovered over his chest, but he didn't seem to register it too much. "We-we should… Get out of here s-soon…" The boy mumbled quietly. He understood that they would just end up beaten if they stayed there any longer, and he knew that the humans were far away- safe from the Androids.

Trunks nodded swiftly, and the two parted when 18 rushed at them. She had to go for only one of them, so she went for Trunks. Gohan was left alone, or so he thought. He went to head over to 18 and Trunks, but he lost all of his muscle control. He slumped forward, losing his super saiyan form and dangling from his tail, which 17 had a good grip on. The boy couldn't move; he could only watch as Trunks took various hits from 18. Gohan found his voice just before a devastating blow hit against the teen's temple.

"Duck!" He shouted, and Trunks did so, saving himself from being knocked out. "Left!" Trunks blocked a blow from his left next. The Android seemed to disappear, and Gohan felt that strange feeling again when staring at Trunks. "Behind!" Trunks dove to the ground, escaping the powerful blast that had been to catch him in the back.

18 was getting flustered now, and she darted at the teen. Trunks was nailed in the back with an elbow, and he screamed out as something popped in his shoulder from her following attack.

"Blast above!" Gohan told him, and the teen's eyes darted up, spying 18's blast heading his way. He moved to the side as Gohan said. "Shoot." Several blasts exploded out of the teen's palms, colliding with the Android. She burst through the smoke, flashing behind Trunks. "Behi-" Gohan just plainly screamed in pain as he felt his tail shift and a few bones broke inside.

"Sorry, we didn't ask for any customer service, thanks though." 17 said, sadistic smirk forming on his features.

After hearing Gohan's screams, Trunks' eyes flashed over to see the predicament the boy was in. A knee to his back shoved him forward, and he felt a hand wrap around the collar of his jacket, holding him in place. He couldn't move too well with the constant pain running up and down his spine. Gohan bit the inside of his cheek as 17 applied more pressure to his tail. When 17 didn't hear the yells, the smirk was replaced with a tight line.

His grip tightened, but Gohan refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing him hurt. Dark eyes observed Trunks' expression of torment; the teen's eyes were closed and his hands were loose on his shirt's collar. Gohan willed himself to move. If he didn't break out of this, the Androids would break them even more. He slowly drew up his hands, breathing more rapid and sweat pouring down his face. He managed to raise his hands, and he found his energy within him. He tore it out, gathering it at his hands. Just before the ki blasts came from his hands, he slammed them at 17's chest. They hit and the blast shot the Android away.

Gohan moved quickly, coming at 18, who grabbed the teen tightly and threw him into the boy. The boy decided to take the hit, catching the teen, and he made them both drop to the ground. When he landed on the ground, Trunks came to, so Gohan let him go. The teen was slightly stupefied, so the younger one pulled him along by his wrist. "Have a plan to get out of here?" He asked the teen.

Trunks shook his head. "No." Honestly, he hadn't thought they'd make it this far.

"Great," stated the boy, releasing the other's wrist and running faster. His dark eyes darted along the buildings, and down the road, a water tower stood on top of a building. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I… th-think so."

Gohan stopped and gestured with his head for the teen to keep going. Trunks rushed off, heading toward the water tower and jumping up beside it. He hid behind the water tower and waited. Gohan was facing the other way, waiting for the Androids, who were racing toward him. The boy spun on his heels and sprinted in the other direction. He made his power spike as he neared the water tower, stopping a little ways in front of it. He turned to face the Androids and backed up some. He hoped Trunks got the hint, especially when the Androids approached him.

They got closer, a little too close for Gohan's liking. He had to stall for time. He planted his feet and asked. "Do you want to play a game?"

The Androids halted their advance, confused at the sudden question. 17 was the first one to speak up. "What kind of game?" He raised a brow at the young boy, while his sister eyed the child before them.

Gohan raised his power real quick and brought it back down. "It's Who Can Swim?"

"What-" 17 started. The water tower crashed on top of them, sweeping them away in a rush of water. Trunks' gaze searched the water in a search for Gohan, and he sensed the younger one's appearance next to him.

"Apparently, they can't." Gohan shook water from his hair, taking to the air. "Let's get out of here before they catch their breath." They sped off.

. . . .

They almost made it to the house when Trunks suddenly stopped. "Oh no, no, no, no. Where's the Time Machine?" He rushed over to where the machine had been hidden, looking frantically for the giant machine that had gone missing. He sagged against a nearby building. "It's gone… I'm so…" He had wanted to get Gohan back to his time, and he had wanted to help them take care of the Androids. How was he- how were they- ever to travel into the past now? "Gohan, it's missing…"

"No it's not."

"What?"

The boy was strangely calm about not being able to make it back to his time, and he had Trunks' head spinning. Gohan walked over and said. "It was just hanging out in the open, so I moved it awhile ago for safety. Don't worry, it's well hidden."

Trunks instantly relaxed and took his statement to heart. He believed what the boy said. "Okay, good. You had me worried there."

Gohan smiled meekly. "Sorry, I should have told you." He rubbed the back of his head.

"It's fine. As long as it's safe, that's all that matters."

They went inside after a look around to make sure no Android was in sight, and Gohan shut the door behind them. "How about some dinner since we missed lunch?"

"Sounds good."

Gohan went to cooking, finding some things that needed to be cooked. He pulled out an onion, carrots, some type of mushroom, cabbage leaves, some green onions, some noodles that were made from wheat flour from what it said, and some pork. He remembered reading some type of recipe that involved these things, so he cut up all of the vegetables and sliced the meat. He took out a large bowl-shaped frying pan, and he heated up some oil in it and put the meat there to cook. He placed the tougher vegetables in to cook. Next came the remaining vegetables.

He separated the noodles from one another with hot water as he put pepper and some sauce that came with the noodles with the vegetables and meat. The noodles were then placed in the pan, continuously stirred. The meal was almost finished by now, and he put the mixture of vegetables and pork in separate bowls. He handed one to Trunks and kept one for himself. He left the leftovers in the pan in case either one of them wanted more.

Gohan ate with care, tasting the meal and mentally rating it. The noodles were wrong, and some of the vegetables weren't cooked all the way. Gohan hid his annoyance by taking another bite. Cooking was becoming enjoyable to the young demi-saiyan, but he wanted the meal to be perfect. It would obviously take a while, but they both had nothing but time. Trunks politely thanked him for the food and ate at a slightly faster pace than Gohan, which wasn't too fast.

Trunks thought the meal had shown Gohan's improvement, and it was pretty good. He had definitely worked hard on this dinner. Gohan set down his plate; for some reason, he found himself not hungry. He kept replaying the latest "fight" with the Androids. He and Trunks, compared to the siblings and their teamwork, were surely lacking, like he mentioned before. The Androids had always been there for one another, and it appeared as if they were programmed to work with each other. One was never seen without the other, and they both seemed to have around the same likes and dislikes- which Trunks and Gohan were at the top of the second list.

They had some close calls. There was a few when Gohan wasn't fast enough to prevent injuries to his person or to Trunks'. There was the fact that their communication was a bit off. They'd have to work a little on that. They also need to watch out for one another. Those things could be fixed with a bit of practice, but there was one thing that was bothering him a lot. It was his tail! He loved the thing, but it never escaped 17's eyes, and he grabbed the obvious weakness.

The tail problem wasn't exactly easy to solve. He could slice it off, but it may just grow back because it has been doing a lot of that lately, or he could learn to control himself when someone touched it. _Like Vegeta_ , his brain piped up. Vegeta was able to not crumble to the ground like Raditz and Gohan seemed to do. He wasn't that sure about that other saiyan- Nappa- since Gohan had been too terrified to even go and stand next to the warrior.

Gohan just knew that Vegeta could handle his tail when he had one, and he could even transform and not destroy everything in sight. Gohan couldn't remember transforming into a giant ape, but he must have done so a couple of times. The moon had been out when he had his tail, he knew this, and Vegeta had to create his own moon, another time that the young boy had regrown his tail.

It was terrible that the tail had a mind of its own usually because it could unwrap from his waist, and he wouldn't know it. He turned his head, seeing the tail doing exactly what he didn't want. He wrapped the tail around his waist, having to aid the appendage with his hands because of the breaks and bumps in it. He returned to his food, but his appetite was totally gone. He just couldn't eat another bite, and he pushed back his chair and went to do the dishes instead.

He put the leftovers in the refrigerator and washed the dishes until he reached the last one- Trunks' bowl. The teen had just finished, and he rushed over to place it in the sink. "Thanks, Gohan."

Usually, Gohan would say that he's welcomed or that he didn't mind the cooking, but the thought about his tail and what it led to, or could lead to, kept nagging at him. "Trunks, can you do me a favor?"

Trunks responded. "Sure thing, Gohan."

"Could you grab my tail?" The tail unattached itself from his waist, and Gohan's tail flicked to the left as Gohan waited.

The teen grabbed hold of the tail, and Gohan crashed to his knees. Immediately, Trunks released the tail, eyes round. "Goh-"

Gohan gasped out and rose to his feet. "It's alright." His palms were sweaty and his tail flicked to the left multiple times. "Try again?" Trunks hesitated. "I wasn't ready the first time," Gohan said to reassure the teen.

Trunks' voice was cautious. "Ohhh-kay. Ready now?"

Gohan nodded stiffly. Even though he trusted Trunks, he fidgeted and feared what he could do. "G… Go ahead." Trunks' fingers wrapped around the tail, and Gohan's knees buckled again after a moment's pause. When the fingers were removed, Gohan stumbled to his feet. His brow furrowed together. He couldn't even keep himself standing for four seconds! He turned a determined gaze onto the floor. "Once more?"

"No, Gohan, I can't watch this."

"Please. Once more and done."

Trunks frowned but complied. "Ready?"

"Yes." A hand held onto the tail, and Gohan's legs shook. He didn't want to fall, but he couldn't fight against the hold. He dropped onto his hands and knees, hands closed tightly. He pictured the same thing happening that did during the last fight. He remembered how Trunks was getting hurt, and Gohan just sat there like a sloth on a tree. His body had refused to move. If Trunks had died because of the tail, he wouldn't forgive himself. He gritted his teeth, telling himself to rise to his feet. His legs moved slightly.

He forced his awkward legs to shift, but he didn't make it that far before he slumped back to the ground, and his tail was dropped. He exhaled harshly, a line of sweat rolled down his face, pooling toward the tip of his nose. Gohan wiped his face with his sleeve and made his way to his feet at a snail's pace.

Trunks was watching with concern. "You almost stood up that time." He tried to lighten the mood, but it wasn't exactly working.

Gohan glared at his shoes, tail swaying rapidly back and forth. "That's not good enough. I need to be able to fight without it being used against me or getting in the way." His lips pulled back to reveal his grinding teeth. It needs to be dealt with. His eyes closed as they clenched together. He made the tail go around his waist, and his dark eyes revealed themselves. He forced a smile. "Thanks for your help. I think I'll go to sleep early. Goodnight."

He walked toward the hallways to the bedroom, softly closing his door after going inside. He leaned against the door, head tilting up to the ceiling. He probably should have checked their injuries, but Trunks could probably handle his on his own, if not Gohan would know later on. Speaking of injuries, he studied his left arm, fingers brushing along that arm then the right one, comparing the two. The left was a little deformed in relation to his right. Gohan concluded that it might be a possible fracture, but it seemed minor. He could only tell because of Bulma's medical book he has read.

Since there was barely any swelling and deformity, Gohan thought he should be fine. He'd just wrap it up or something, maybe make a splint for it if needed. He sat down on the floor, back against the bed as he stared at his clasped hands resting on his lap. His tail twitched behind him, and he turned to it to fix it the best he could. He sighed as the tail returned to his waist, and his head thumped against the top of the bed.

He whispered to himself. "What do I do?" Everything was wrong, and they weren't even closer to getting rid of the Androids. He didn't understand what he was doing wrong. He bet that if Piccolo was alive, he'd come up with something. He wouldn't just accept this and sit in the dark. He'd go out strong. He'd use everything he had, intelligence, power, speed, and anything else he could muster. He wouldn't just sit and wallow in self pity.

Everyone had problems they had deal with. Nothing made his any better or worse. Trunks had been trapped in this never-ending nightmare from the beginning, so Gohan had no excuse to sit and complain about his problems.

Gohan drew himself off the floor, and he headed to the back room. He knew what he had to do. He was almost finished with the make-shift gravity chamber, and it was coming along. He messed with the metal, and he felt his skin break open from handling the metal without care. The blood flowed, and Gohan merely ripped a piece off his already torn white shirt, and he wrapped up his palm tightly.

He went back to working once again.

. . . .

Trunks journeyed out of his room when the night turned into the next morning. He walked right into the scents of eggs and toast. He took his seat at the kitchen table, grabbing for his plate as soon as he sat down. "Morning," the young boy said, not bothering to take his gaze away from the book he was reading.

"Morning, Gohan." He grabbed a few bites and thanked the other for the food. He continued chewing his meal until Gohan placed down his book.

"I think we should talk- about yesterday." The boy began.

Trunks set down his eating utensil, all of his attention going to his young friend. "What about yesterday?" He questioned, face totally focused on the conversation.

"I understand that you felt my KI rise…" Trunks nodded once, and Gohan added. "It was supposed to be a signal that the Androids were right in front of me." He paused, moving his book on the table. "Maybe we need a system in case we're in trouble?"

Trunks seemed to think about the suggestion for a second.

Gohan turned his eyes to the teen. "To signal that we're in danger, we could raise our power levels real fast to get the other's attention, or keep them up high, depending on the circumstances." His eyes returned to the book at his fingertips. "We need to determine the signal for being alright. It could be… Well, I think powering up a bit real fast two times will be alright..?"

Trunks leaned back in his chair. "Sounds…"

Gohan began to worry; perhaps his plan was faulty. His gaze traveled to stare at Trunks' face in order to study his reaction.

"Reasonable," the teenager finished. "Two flickers means safe, and one sharp power spike is the signal for the Androids, right?"

Gohan nodded a few times. "Exactly."

Trunks beamed at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but the radio sounded through the kitchen. They both turned to it, expecting another city being attacked. Luckily, it was calm talking about the day's weather- how sunny and warm it was supposed to be. Yeah, hot and bright, with a slight chance of death clouds in the distance and most likely the rain of energy blasts on a certain city. Gohan merely shook his head, hoping that the Androids took a day off- actually more than a day off. He wished they never destroyed and murdered anyone again, but that was a wish of an optimistic boy that no longer began to exist.

He had watched the Androids kill and torture the inhabitants of Earth, and he couldn't do anything really, even if he was a super saiyan. Yes, he and Trunks had saved most of those people in that one city, but _some_ did not have the luxury of life after their efforts. Most had survived, not all.

Speaking of yesterday and the two boys' heroic actions, the radio crackled and an announcer broadcasted a grand, "Gooooooood mooorrrrnnnning!" All of the listeners, including Gohan and Trunks, tuned into the voice. "Everyone has heard of the recent events that happened in Satan City. Wait, you haven't?" The man's laugh boomed from the radio. "Well, do I have a surprise for you! Introducing, the woman who survived- the woman who saw her city being defended- VIDEL SATAN!"

The two half-breeds almost rolled their eyes at the man's excitement. Instead, they looked at the radio and continued to listen.

"Welcome to The Station, it's a pleasure to meet someone that looked death in the face and grinned. Would you care to describe the scene again, so the world can hear the news?"

A feminine voice sounded next. "There were two fighters that went up against those monsters."

"In monsters, you mean Androids?" The man questioned.

The other voice bit out. "I'm not sugarcoating anything for your show."

The man's voice stammered out. "Of-Of course, we wouldn't want that. Could you describe- in detail- these two 'fighters.'"

There was a slight pause, so Trunks asked. "Who's Videl Satan, was she that woman?"

Gohan replied with a simple, "Yes."

The woman's voice came through the slight static on the radio station. "One was just a boy, while the other was a teenager."

"Oh really?"

"Yes." The woman stated, voice showing her irritation. "If you don't believe me, ask the others."

"I-I believe you, miss."

"Alright, then, I'll continue. These two boys had blond hair and teal eyes. Together they fought above Satan City. They-"

Trunks randomly said. "You know, she seemed to be really fascinated with you Gohan."

A black brow rose up. "Are we talking about the same woman?"

"- went up against the monsters and got most of us off the island. They-" The woman continued, voice coming from the speaker on the radio.

Trunks looked over at the boy. "Yeah, that woman with the purple eyes. She asked for your name. She was really surprised that you could fight the Androids."

Gohan's brows drew together. "I didn't detect fascination or surprise from her when I tried to talk to her. She actually seemed to despise me."

"- saved us all from dying. They are… We live now because of them; each one of us owe our lives to those two fighters." The woman concluded. "We thank both of them for their… help…"

Gohan knew that the last statement sure hurt the woman to say. Trunks gestured to the radio. "See?" His smile curled up his lips. "The woman- who was she again?"

"Videl Satan." Gohan answered him politely, but a part of his brain agreed with her last name. Her last name definitely worked for her.

"She doesn't hate you."

Gohan nodded slightly at his sentence, not totally agreeing with it a hundred percent. He looked back to the radio as the announcer's voice boomed. "Thank you for coming today, and thank YOU, Mystery Duo!"

"Mystery duo?" Trunks made a slight face. "Please tell me that's not what they're going to call us." Gohan concealed a chuckle.

"Well, perhaps their name needs to be worked on, but don't worry. The Golden Boys will get their name soon enough!"

Just before the man gave his exaggerated goodbye, the woman muttered. "They'll never save anyone again if you call them those ridiculous names…"

The radio was turned off by Trunks, who looked slightly red, probably from annoyance and embarrassment. Gohan shook his head with a tiny smile. "Who cares what they call us. We'll save them anyway." He tilted his head. "What do you say, Little Brother?"

Trunks didn't know whether to put his head on the table and groan or smile and shake the offered hand. He chose to do the latter. They had a duty to do, and their team, no matter the name, had a goal to accomplish.

. . . .

Four weeks had passed since their first teamwork mission, and almost everyday they grew better as a team because they fought with the Androids during the day. They saved so many people, but their injuries just seemed to get worse and worse. Without a good period of resting and healing, their wounds didn't particularly heal up well, only to be broken or opened again the next day. Sometimes they had two blissful days away from the constant fights, but those days were rare.

During those days, they didn't really train. In fact, neither of them initiated a dual training session because they were too exhausted. Everyday, though, Gohan made three meals, read books that pertained to math, science, english, and anything school related when he wasn't working on the GC- gravity chamber- or the time machine.

Other than somehow finding an opportunity for all of the books and working Gohan did, Gohan had to fight off the nightmares that came. They weren't every night, but he didn't sleep every night either. The nightmares were always about his family members and friends dying. Actually, one dream started off with Master Roshi taking the whole group to a gameshow. Master Roshi was being… Master Roshi, and he got kicked out. That man sure was strange, especially concerning women.

Anyway, the game show started off great with Roshi being the announcer for the show. However, when he was kicked out, they looked for a volunteer. Everyone pointed to Gohan, so he had no choice, and he had walked onto the stand, completely frozen at all of the attention. He had sat down and smiled brightly. He hadn't been on a game show before. He waited for the new person who ran the show to come out, and he was met with 17 as the host.

18 had soon followed. Then the game was basically Gohan spinning a wheel to try to save his friends. One by one, they died until it was only him. He had lived after that; the Androids hadn't killed him yet. He was forced to live with his family and friends hanging over him. Then, the Androids found him, and that was the end of Gohan.

Trunks wasn't exactly having the best time either. He didn't have persistent nightmares all of the time, but the fighting and small amounts of rest were really pushing him. It tested him more than he'd like to admit. He hid his fatigue the best he knew how since Gohan didn't seem fazed by the tough hours and beatings every day. He hoped to remain strong, and he was glad that they were actually accomplishing something.

Everyone had heard about their duo in the world by now. They were the ones that came and helped when everything looked bleak and hopeless. A slight smile rose to his face as he thought. _You got your hope from your time machine, mom._ It had been a mission of Hope when he left to aid Goku and tell him of the horrid Androids, and they got Gohan in return. Both worlds had benefited from the exchange.

The Androids knew of Trunks' and Gohan's small team, and they still tried to maim and murder them, but always, Gohan had a plan to get away. The "Golden Team," as some reporters say, were a blessing and took a step toward the future. Trunks was thrilled that they impacted so many lives, saving them from just being another unmarked grave, and he was also glad that the name of their team was better than the first two.

Unfortunately, they just seemed to prolong the inevitable because the members of their team was not nearly as strong as the two, and their team was constantly injured and wasn't allowed time to recover. The weight on Trunks' shoulders grew heavier every day, and he already knew that Gohan must have carried more. The younger boy was thrusted into this world, and he had to face so many things, while helping Trunks along.

The boy was only seven, and he was doing more than even Trunks' mother ever did. Trunks sensed him at night. His KI would spike, and next thing the teen knew, the younger half-breed was heading to the lab or the back room. He wasn't just fighting the Androids, but possibly something else. Gohan never told him of his doubts, worries, or nightmares. He'd conceal it for obvious reasons.

Gohan was quiet, but that wasn't much of a change from earlier when they met. However, whenever Trunks questioned him about the past, he'd give honest answers, but vague ones. For example, he asked about Namek again- about _Frieza_. Gohan merely told him that Frieza was the strongest in the universe, and he killed many on Namek. He said that Goku was the only one that stood a chance, only because of being a Super Saiyan.

For another example, Trunks questioned Gohan on his father a few times, but it was always the same. His father was strong, proud, and arrogant. He never once answered Trunks about why his father came to Earth in the first place. Somehow, he'd maneuver around it and get Trunks onto another subject. It was as if he was keeping something from him, or he was trying to protect him from the truth.

Both half-saiyans got along great, but lately, they haven't seen much of each other- other than fighting the Androids and bandaging wounds. Gohan hasn't even really allowed him to help with his wounds either, but that could be because of the hits he takes that are always meant for Trunks.

The teen rose from his bed, and he reached the kitchen, but there was no Gohan to greet him. Gohan was usually out here cooking or reading before he was even out of bed. This morning, though, the boy was in the lab. Gohan came out ten minutes later and greeted Trunks with a soft smile. "Good morning."

"Morning." Trunks said. Normally, the teen would be the happier in the morning, but this particular one was quite depressing. He grabbed some milk from Gohan, and after the younger boy cooked breakfast, he received the plate from him.

Gohan glanced over at the teen, a flash of worry came to his eyes. He sat down next to the teen, and he said. "Did you know that glaring at your food will not cook it? I bet Vegeta found that out the hard way."

Trunks cracked a smile. "Is that so?" He lacked his playfulness that he and Gohan had begun to develop. His lips pulled down, and he took a mouthful of the eggs.

Gohan frowned as well. He stood up and noticed the distant look in the teen's blue eyes. He grabbed some juice and poured it into a cup. He thought about how to assess the problem at hand. Clearly, something was disturbing Trunks quite dearly. He tapped on the glass, and an idea came to him. A smirk pulled his lips up. He hid it when he returned to his chair. He chewed on his toast, pretending to savor the taste for a bit. He suddenly announced that he was going to get food, so he'd be back. He put his plate in the fridge and took off after the two said their farewells.

He made a mental list of what he had to get, and he grinned slightly. Trunks definitely needed a pick-me-up, and it would make Gohan feel better too, so it was a win-win. Both of the Super Saiyans have really just been that lately. They had been super, but they didn't have a chance to relax, be themselves, or have fun. He thought about what Trunks' childhood must have been like. It could have been worse than his own, and no one deserved to be brought up in this nightmare.

He grabbed his supplies and the groceries and journeyed home. He searched the house for Trunks, locking onto his energy in the kitchen still. He hid the supplies outside, and he went inside. He put away the food in cupboards and freezer, keeping an eye on the teen, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Hey Trunks?"

The teen a soft noise in response, still staring at his half-eaten food.

"I'm going to head over to Capsule Corp." He headed to the door, pausing to leave and waiting for Trunks to say something. "I'll be back," he said as he waved, opening the door.

Trunks nodded his head at him, but that was all Gohan got in a reply.

After Gohan shut the door behind him, the corners of his mouth shifted down. He was concerned even more now. He grabbed the bag of supplies and took off for Capsule Corp. He landed on the grass, and he arranged everything in the appropriate manner by the front door. He made sure to hide everything well, use the fishing wire by the floor, and make it complicated to keep the teen distracted when he ran into the trap. It was almost done. Now, he just had to get Trunks inside and make him come back to the front door, so he could set off the trap.

He just had to sit back and relax. He sat in the chair by the sewing machine, using his feet on the table to push two legs of the chair off the floor. His dark eyes drilled into the ceiling as he thought about the possible next fight with the Androids. He wondered what or who'd they save next. Even the little they did, they were making the future a better place. At least, they thought that.

Gohan's musings were interrupted by the door opening, and he leaned to the side to look over, which was a bad idea because he crashed to the ground, taking the chair with him. He rubbed his backside, bottom lip jutting out some. He rose to his feet just as he saw Trunks shut the door. "Look who's out of the house." The boy faintly smiled.

Trunks gave a weak smile back. He didn't really talk as he stole the other chair and moved it to the other room. The young boy furrowed his brow, but instead of going after him like he usually did. He went to the front door, setting up the trap and stepping outside the house. Noiselessly, he shut the door and crept away from the house. He flew off for some time, and he rose his power, transforming into a Super Saiyan. Inside the house, he felt Trunks' power level spike, and the teen moved toward the main door.

. . . .

Trunks had been staring outside a window, mouth in a straight line, when he felt Gohan's power skyrocket. He startled, coming out of his stupor, and he rushed toward the front door. He hadn't even realized Gohan had left the house in the first place. He must have been out of it. He turned the handle, preparing to open the door, but a noise behind him resulted in his hesitation.

His blue eyes watched in fascination as a small ball dropped to the ground from the ceiling, rolling along the floor. It hit something wooden alongside the wall, and that board hit another thing, causing it to fall to the floor on the other side of the hall. The thing that had been hit looked like a small piece of pipe, and when it shot across the floor, it struck a button type object, shooting another ball up into the air. It bounced off the ceiling then another accurately placed object to land on a piece of wood, catapulting yet another ball. That ball then whizzed by Trunks' head, hitting the door open some. Trunks followed the ball, turning around to see.

 _Poof!_ Red dust hit him in the face, sticking in his hair and getting on his long-sleeved white shirt. When the dust settled on his face, his eyes found Gohan pointing his finger and laughing at him in the doorway, blond hair and green eyes both pale shades. The younger boy's laughter continued when Trunks blew some of the red dust out of his bangs.

"Gohan!"

The boy chuckled. "Don't worry it's washable." The laughter was gone, but the wide smile remained. "You looked a little stressed, so I thought I'd help you out."

Trunks' mouth twitched, smirk forming. "I'll show you stressed!" He transformed in the next second, the red dust immediately shooting off him, and he flashed toward the young boy, whose eyes widened along with the smile. He flew the opposite way. "Come back here," laughed the teen as he chased the boy around outside. He drew up his hand, sending a blast at the other.

Gohan felt that feeling again, glancing over his shoulder and sending his own blast at Trunks'. The two blasts connected and burst into smoke. Trunks ended up on his back as Gohan tackled him and sprang to his feet. Trunks laughed. "You've gotten stronger."

"I've been training in the gravity chamber."

"You finished it?" Trunks questioned, hearing the boy walk toward him from his position on the ground. Trunks waited for Gohan to come closer, and he jumped to his feet and attacked.

"Yes, a few weeks ago." The boy answered as he deflected the blow with his left arm. It had healed up recently, which was a surprise because typically a fracture of the humerus- even small- may take around eight weeks, an yes, he discovered that it had been a fracture of the humerus a few days after getting the injury.

Both of the Super Saiyans brought up their hands, fists connecting in the air, bouncing off one another just to collide back together. Trunks swiped toward Gohan, who flew back to avoid the hit. Gohan kicked up suddenly, and he hit Trunks in the chest. The teen backed up to get speed and dove forward.

Gohan side-stepped him in the air and put an elbow in Trunks' back. It was lighter than usual, but it was enough to send the teen down slightly. Trunks punched Gohan away, and they continued their spar with more kicks and hits. "You're leaving your left side open too much." Gohan stated. Trunks attacked again after adjusting himself. "You're doing it again." A swift hit collided with Trunks' left side, and he drew in a breath.

 _Ow._ He adjusted his stance more, lunging forward and keeping an eye out for his left side.

A knee hit him on the right side this time. "Don't just watch your left," instructed the young boy. Trunks nodded absentmindedly. He hit away one of Gohan's hands that came toward his left side, and he dodged when another hand tried to land a hit on his right. Trunks blocked the blows to his sides again and landed a few good ones on Gohan. Gohan darted at him, and Trunks leaped forward, giving Gohan a swift punch.

However, his hand went through him, and a moment too late, he realized that it was an afterimage. He spun around just as Gohan kicked him up- further into the air- with a strong hit under his chin.

"Be ready for anything, Trunks."

Trunks rubbed his chin with a small nod. "Right, got it." He went forward, fist outstretched and hitting against Gohan's right arm. Gohan shoved him away with the same arm. The teen was immediately back at the young boy, using his hand for a solid strike. Gohan pushed his fist away, making it go past him so Trunks ended up following it. Gohan used this to his advantage, elbow shifting straight and heading down. Trunks covered himself with his hands. He protected himself quite well, and he counterattacked with an elbow of his own.

Out of the corner of Trunks' eyes, he spotted Gohan's tail. A smirk morphed onto his features. "Be ready for anything." He repeated, going to grab hold of it. It was a mistake. He knew it was as soon as he touched it, as soon as his fingers grazed the tail.

Gohan screamed out, jamming an elbow straight into the side of his face. Trunks instantly let go, hand on his aching face, as he shot to the ground way below. He hit and the earth exploded around him from the impact. His vision darkened and swayed. Yeah, bad decision. He groaned. Who knew Gohan had that in him?

Gohan panicked and dropped down on his hands and knees, picking off the heavy rocks. "Trunks, I'm so sorry."

Trunks felt Gohan's hands gently pry him loose from the rocks. His eyes blinked lazily, finding Gohan. "It's… okay. It's noth… thing really." He slumped back, hair and eyes instantly reverting back to normal.

. . . .

Trunks woke to an overhead light, and he tore his eyes from the blinding light. He turned his head to the side, eyes landing on Gohan who looked like he was about to cry. For someone that never really seen this Gohan- or even the future one- cry, he was worried. Gohan was at his side and apologizing another time.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Trunks said. "It happens."

Gohan's saddened eyes glanced over his face, hands wound tightly around each other.

"I found something out, though."

"What's that?"

Trunks laughed dryly. "Rule number one: Don't touch the tail." A smile came to his face, but it disappeared from the pain. "Also, you're stronger than you let on."

Gohan's cheeks had a light dust of pink. "I wish I was stronger though, like you or my dad."

Trunks sat up, careful of how fast he made himself move. "Who knows, it's possible. You're a super saiyan already."

"Maybe." Gohan presented him a small smile. "Let's get some ice for your face." He offered a hand to help Trunks reach his feet. After Trunks was on his feet, he discovered that he was in the lab. He looked at all of the separated room. On one side, there was the computer, desks, and random pieces of technology; the other had all of the medical supplies and a bed, which Trunks had been resting in apparently, for an injured person. He made his way around the highly organized area and out to the kitchen, where Gohan had just taken out some ice from the freezer.

Trunks took a seat and pressed the offered ice on his head.

Gohan hovered around him. "Do you need anything else?"

"Yeah, for you to sit down." Trunks smirked slightly after a pause. "Who's acting stressed now?"

Gohan sat down, hiding the blush on his face. "Me, obviously." A tight smile came to his face at Trunks' grin.

Trunks settled more comfortably in the chair, stretching some. A contented sigh came from the teen's mouth. "That was the most fun I've had in forever. Thanks."

Gohan fiddled with his thumbs. "If you don't mind me asking, what's bothering you?"

Trunks instantly tensed. "Nothing." He looked anywhere but at Gohan.

"Want to play 50 questions?" Gohan tried. "It's fun sometimes."

Trunks made a slight face. "You sound like the Androids." He muttered in annoyance, not toward Gohan just the Androids.

Gohan wasn't really offended by the statement, but if Gohan had been the one to say Trunks' statement, it might have been a different story, but he'd never direct that toward the teen. He shrugged a shoulder. "Sometimes they're right. You need some fun in life." He turned his eyes to the sink. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

Trunks looked over. "Yeah, same goes to you."

Suddenly, Gohan asked. "You know how you asked about your dad and when he came to Earth?" He didn't wait for Trunks to nod. He continued. "Well, with him, there was this other saiyan. His name was Nappa. He was super strong, and he easily overpowered all of us. You're dad could kill Nappa without much effort if he wanted, which definitely said something about him. He was strong because of living under Frieza for so long, but it wasn't the best life. Frieza killed most of the Saiyan Race, leaving Vegeta, my dad, Nappa, Turles, and Raditz- my apparent uncle- the only ones alive."

Trunks listened to Gohan. It confused him slightly, but he got most of it. This was something, even if it was small and seemingly random. It was better than nothing, especially when Gohan told him this. Gohan had always been secretive, but this younger one was even more so. This Gohan didn't say much about the past, but sometimes- like times like this- he gained some knowledge on past events. He hesitated to speak what had been on his mind all day, but this was Gohan for crying out loud, and he did give him some information. He guessed it was only fair to tell him something new, too. "Gohan died today." Trunks finally forced out, hanging his head. Tears formed in his eyes, making the blue of his eyes shine brighter, from actually saying that fact out loud.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he glanced over his shoulder at the young boy standing next to him. "It's alright, Trunks." He smiled warmly. "He'll never leave you no matter what you think. He'll always be here," he pointed to Trunks' heart. "Don't just dwell on the end of his life. Look at everything he did before then, focus on everything he stood for when living."

Trunks rubbed his nose. "You're right." He beamed at the younger version of his mentor.

Gohan returned the expression, just not as full-heartedly as Trunks. He returned to his seat and looked up at the heavens. "They'll watch over us from above."

Trunks smiled more. "He used to say that too."

Gohan gazed at his hands then turned to Trunks. Everyone was watching down on them; Gohan just had a feeling. A smile pushed itself to his face. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. The two sat in silence, thinking their own thoughts, for over an hour. Gohan's soft voice reached Trunks ears. "What happened to my dad and everyone else?" He hoped he could have some clarity. "How did they all end up dying?" He had thought that his dad and the other's always managed to pull something out to win some way or another.

Trunks started. "I've only heard stories, but the Androids arrived on an island nine miles from South City, and everyone went out to face them. I heard they put up a fight, but it wasn't enough. Somehow, though, you managed to get away and live when no one else did."

"So none of them stood a chance, not even my dad?"

"He never got the chance to fight those monsters."

"Why?" Gohan's dark eyes snapped up to Trunks', eyes round.

"He comes down with a deadly virus that attacks his heart. Since there was no cure then, he passes away. I'm sorry, Gohan. This time, though, he'll be…" His voice continued, but Gohan didn't hear any of it. His body went numb. His dad died before all of this madness went down, and nothing could have saved him. He died, not fighting like he would have wanted, but by a virus that struck him down when each foe that they had came across had trouble with or couldn't even finish the job correctly- what he meant was that the dragon balls had always been there to revive his dad. He felt his stomach flop, and he gripped his knees.

Gohan's grip tightened, and his dad couldn't have been wished back since the virus was a natural death. It was horrible that his dad had to die that way- or die at all for that matter. He wanted to scream out his frustration, to be able to help; He just wanted to do something- _anything!_ His voice came out hollow when his spoke softly. "Thank you, for clearing it up."

He pushed back his chair, hands resting on top of the table. He excused himself, heading to the back room. He closed the door, turning up the gravity extremely high, and he started with one-handed pushups. Next, he had himself upright and tried to remain on the tips of his fingertips. Soon, he only used one hand again. After that, he worked on different stances and forms. His hands began blurs as he pushed himself as fast as he could.

He ducked under an imaginary hand and threw up one of his own hands. He did a full backflip, landing on his feet. He shot toward the wall, stopping himself inches from it, and he did a back handspring. He continued until he ran out of space, staying on his hands and flipping to the side to land on his feet. The young boy blew out a breath, slight bangs blowing up. He bent over, squaring himself. His eyes drilled into the opposite wall. Around his clenched hands were sparks; they skittered along his wrists as he snarled to the room. "Why?" He hissed through his teeth.

 _This future was atrocious!_ Everything had fallen apart- even more so- after Namek. Everyone had thought his dad was dead, even Gohan had doubts of him being alive, and then it turns out that he didn't want to head home after they found out he was still among the living. When he got home, Gohan didn't get the chance to talk to him. His curiosity made sure of that. He slumped forward, smashing to his knees and putting out his hands to catch himself.

For some reason, he was dead beat tired. He rested his forehead against the ground, breathing rapidly. He couldn't let this future stay like this, and he wouldn't allow it to be the future for his time. Gohan pushed himself to his feet, drawing an arm across his forehead. His jaw was set as he leaned down in a stance, arms up and legs spread apart. He did a series of moves together that he learned from watching his dad, Piccolo, and the Androids. After that, he went quick, disappearing from view from his speed, and he'd appear with a sharp kick to the air, only to disappear again.

He continued this process, sometimes on his feet on the ground or sometimes in the air. He moved throughout the gravity chamber until his legs felt like jelly and his arms shook. He turned the gravity down, shutting the console down completely afterward. He walked out of the room, and he could have laughed at the gravitational force on his body. He just remained straight-faced and went into the kitchen, taking some water from the sink. Over to his side, he saw a note on the microwave. To sum it up, Trunks made him food and put it inside.

He felt tempted to throw it away, but he frowned at that thought. He wasn't angry with Trunks. He took out the food, and his stomach rumbled. He ate the food, and he rinsed off the plate in the sink. He cleaned up the kitchen next. He didn't want to sleep yet, but he knew that he should. He put the glass on the table while he bit the inside of his cheek. He sensed Trunks in his room already, so he quietly went past the teen's room.

When he hit his bed, he was out like a light.

. . . .

He tossed in his bed with a groan as a beeping sounded to his right. "Get up, Gohan. It's time for breakfast." His mom's voice made him stir some.

The young boy rolled over, sitting up and placing his bare feet on the floor. He rubbed his eyes. "Coming, Mom!" He hurriedly got dressed and rushed out of his room. He saw his mom's back, and she turned around with a smile. Gohan felt the need to hug her, being accompanied by one of those strange feelings again. Instead, he took his seat at the table and beamed at her.

"Morning." She said, handing him a plate. "Eat up before you do your schoolwork."

"Mom." He chuckled.

She stood with a hand on her hip. "What's that for? You know that your schoolwork is the most important thing, Gohan. You need to study to be a scholar. Someone has to make something of his life, and it won't be your father."

"Speaking of dad, where is he?"

"Training, like always. I bet that man would train when he was asleep if he could have."

"Could have?" Gohan noticed the fond look vanish from his mom's face, a deep sorrow replacing it.

She suddenly broke down in tears. The boy rushed over and tried to hold her hand in his, but at his touch, she vaporized into a pale yellow light. Her scream filled the house, and the lights exploded. The whole house was as dark as the outside now. He blindly searched for something in the darkness, hands out in front of him. "Mom, where are you?" There was no answer, so he kept trying to find someone.

The dark stretched before him, and he couldn't see an inch in front of him. He yelled out for his mom, asking where she went. Finally, a soft voice reached his ears. "No, Goku." His mom was speaking.

Another voice followed, really similar to Gohan's. "What's happening to dad?"

Loud screams filled the darkness, and upon the first one, Gohan knew it was his dad's. "DAD!" He ran toward the screams, which somehow grew louder and seemed to circle around him. The young boy stopped, and the screams closed in around him. The pressure was suffocating him, and he held his hands over his ears, kneeling on the ground now. The screams just stopped in the next moment. It was deadly silent.

Gohan reached his feet. "Is it over," asked Krillin from somewhere.

Then, a voice that reminded the boy of Master Roshi began. "Hm, I think it's just beginning."

He stepped further into the darkness, not bothering to have his hands out anymore. He couldn't see or hear anything, so his steps paused. He concentrated on feeling any nearby energy. He forced out his senses, pushing them as far as he thought possible. He couldn't sense anything until the overwhelming feeling fluttered around him, making the air so cold that he could watch his breath. He tried to squash the feeling down like he did when he was awake, but it refused to leave.

He heard Krillin's voice in the distance. "I wish Goku was here!"

"Well, he's not." Piccolo stated from somewhere nearby. The voice of Gohan's mentor continued. "Gohan, get out of here."

A hand grabbed hold of Gohan's shoulder, enough pressure to gain his attention. He glanced up, locking eyes with Piccolo.

"It's not safe."

Gohan shook his head numbly. "I can't just leave. What about dad? And mom? And you? And everyone else?"

"It's too late for us." The neutral expression on the Namekian's face didn't hide what he was truly feeling from the boy. He knew whatever was coming was going to destroy them all.

Gohan balled his fists. "I can't leave. I have to help."

A soft smile came to the green face. "You will." As the hand dropped from his shoulder, Piccolo vanished into the black around him, and with Piccolo, the calmness was shattered. His dad's screams erupted again, louder and longer this time. Along with his screams came the blast and explosion sounds. However, Gohan remained in the dark, unable to see or assist his friends. Krillin's voice sounded somewhere in the dark. "Everyone's dying." He sounded like he lost hope. Gohan could almost picture the bald man on his knees with tears in his eyes. "And I don't know how to make it stop…"

The constant screams from his dad increased in volume, and another voice joined in. "What's wrong with him?" Three other voices mixed with that one, so he didn't know who said what.

One of the three voices repeated. "Hurry… Get home… Before it's too late… Before he's gone…" It sounded desperate, urgent, and soft.

"There's something over here guys." Another voice had stated.

"Watch out!" The last screamed above the rest. Gohan knew the second voice was his, the third was Yamcha, and the last one was Krillin. He had no clue who was the first one, probably a whole lot of people. A whisper in his ear told him to run toward the house. It instructed him to be quick. He spun around in circles, wondering where to go. The feeling grew ten times worse around him, and he obviously heard Piccolo screaming.

He swirled around when he sensed Piccolo's energy. Then, it was gone in a flash. "Pi… Piccolo…" He closed his eyes to contain the tears. His dad's screams clashed with others now. Gohan used his senses, trying to locate anyone. Over to his left, he found a flicker of something. He took off toward it. His feet made loud noises, echoing in the darkness as he headed toward a light. A few more steps, and he could tell that Vegeta's energy died. It was then Yamcha a few more steps down.

Everytime he got closer to the light, one of his friends died. He knew that his dad was that way because the screams grew in volume, and he swore he heard things clattering to the floor. He reached the light, and Krillin's energy exploded, and he screamed out his last. Gohan had to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun for a moment. After he regained his bearings, he had a lock on his dad's ki.

He headed in that direction. The screams were distant, but always there at the back of his mind. "The… Androids…" A chorus of voices whispered in his ear.

"You're going to die here." 18's voice commented.

"How many can I get in this one shot?" 17 questioned, definitely smirking, even if Gohan couldn't see them.

"Ka… me… ha… me… HAAA!" His dad's voice shouted as the screams droned on at a much softer level.

"Goku, honey, stay with me." His mother whispered as the screaming rose up again. Gohan ran faster as his home came into view. He was out of breath, but he still darted into the house, shouldering the door out of the way. He spun around in the empty house. The screams came from upstairs. He flew up the steps, slamming open the door to the room. He was face-to-face with nothing.

His dad's ki was the last to fade, and his mom started to cry in the background. "We have been brought here today…" An unknown voice began. Inside the empty room, Gohan crumbled when his mom said that his dad was gone. His body shook, and he teared up. The tears poured down his face. "Everyone's dying," Krillin said again. Gohan's own scream pierced through his dreams. It wasn't any of the soft screams from other dreams. This one was long, true, and drawn out. Gohan slammed his fists on the ground.

"Looks like we didn't succeed, Gohan." Trunks' voice came from behind him and in the doorway. The teen came forward a few steps. "You tried though."

"NO! I didn't try hard enough. I'm still breathing, and they aren't. I… I failed…"

Trunks shook his head. "Remember what you said. They're watching over you from above." He went over to the window and stared out. "And we can still fix this."

Gohan swallowed back the burning of his throat. "We can't Trunks- I _can't_!"

Trunks turned toward him with a smile forming on his lips. The smile morphed into pain and terror. A blast though the teen's chest came from the window. He dropped down, still alive, but drowning in his blood. Gohan turned him over, tears falling again.

"You can't do this. Don't you dare go near my baby-" The voice was cut off. The person gurgled from downstairs.

"They're upstairs sis."

"What are we waiting for then?"

Gohan saw them too late, and one of their hands swatted him to the other side of the room. He hit his back and let out a soft noise. He lifted his head just as 17 stomped on Trunks' neck. It snapped, and the head rolled along the floor. Gohan's stomach churned, and his hands shook.

"Wow, they're dropping like flies. Must be something in the water or something up in these mountains." 17 looked over at 18, who shrugged with her arms crossed.

"They're just aren't any fun."

"Too bad that we missed good ol' Goku. He would have been great to destroy."

"Much better than those pitiful humans at least."

"Yeah, even these saiyans and half-saiyans are just getting on my nerves. They're a real bother."

They both chuckled at themselves. Gohan growled lowly at them. They killed everyone, except for his dad. His eyes traveled to the mat in the middle of the room, and he could have sworn he saw an image of his dad screaming in agony, hand clutching his chest as he thrashed around. The image disappeared when the Androids crossed the room.

"We'll have to trim down the herd, 18." 17 raised a hand. "We'll finish with this one."

"You can't take anything else away from me," screamed Gohan as he reached his feet.

"We can take your life." 18 stated, flicking her hair.

Gohan clenched his hands, and the house shook around him. His eyes flickered to their green color, and the sparks traveled along the ground by his feet. "You can't just get rid of me so easily."

The Androids looked unimpressed. The boy glared fiercely at them, mouth straight. "No matter what. There will always be someone in your way. Eventually justice will catch up to you. Someone will be there to take my place; they will rise up and defeat you. That I'm sure of."

17 laughed. "Who's going to protect this rock when you're gone?"

"I highly doubt that you have immortality." 18 mumbled next.

Gohan stated. "There's always someone stronger than you in the universe. It's just a matter of time."

"God, I really hate heroic types." 18 murmured.

"Yeah, honestly, them and their speeches. It takes a good part of the joy out of fighting. After awhile, you just want them to shut up." 17 smirked. "And I have the perfect way to do that. Let's finish him."

18 let her hands drop to her sides. "That's the best thing I've heard all week."

The feeling crept up on the boy, and he shoved it down. Perhaps he shouldn't have. The two Androids attacked, and they pummeled the poor boy. Each hit was strong enough to cause immediate bruising, and he screamed loud. He attempted to dodge, but it was as if he was at the level he was at when he first arrived at Trunks' time. His dark eyes matched his hair as he rushed forward. 18 nailed him in the spine, and he felt something shatter. A scream tore out of his throat. He dropped to the ground, rolling along the floor and shoving himself to his feet. He met a blast head-on from both of the Androids.

It destroyed the top part of the house and sent Gohan crashing to the ground below. The pained yells from his family and friends rang in his ears. He heard their dying breaths and screams, feeling their energies die out forever again. He whimpered.

"That's my son," his dad's voice gritted out.

"Dad," the name rolled out of his mouth. "I tried."

His dad screamed again, just like the image in the room. "The world needs you Gohan." His dad's voice hissed out through the pain.

 _"Tsk, this kid needs to toughen up." Someone that he definitely didn't recognize muttered at Gohan's weakened state._

The Androids stopped over him, and 17 asked. "How long does it take to break this kid's spirit?"

"Four minutes." 18 said.

"I'd give him two and a half." The male Android put all his weight on Gohan's leg. Gohan bit his cheek to hold back the scream. The other male suddenly jumped up and smashed the leg apart. Gohan just screamed and screamed, especially when 18 raised a finger and shot blast after blast at the boy. The hits weren't deadly; they wanted him alive still. Gohan tried to get away, but his other leg was grabbed ahold of. "Are legs supposed to be like this?" He heard the snap, and he yelled out.

18 responded. "Might as well fix the others to match." And that's exactly what they did, "fixing" his arms next. "It's not like he can do anything if he tried."

17 nodded. "Just look at what he allowed to happen. He let us kill them all."

"Such a team player." 18 appeared by the boy, who clenched his teeth and eyes closed from the broken limbs. "Huh, he's not broken yet. You lose."

"You… Both… Lose." Gohan exhaled harshly. "Because, you made one mistake… You target-targeted my family and my… home-home…"

17 sent a kick in the boy's side. "Everything's the right way, except for this." He wound his hands around the boy's neck. "Let's see if you're right about that whole justice and someone rising against us and all when you're dead."

His head twisted, and he laid limp. "Oh, here's your parting gift." 18's voice was far away, but the "gift" was dropped in his line of sight. It was Trunks' severed head.

The dark closed in again, accompanied by only silence and the pain. He still could feel the pain the engulfed him from their next attack. He felt the ground disappear from underneath him, and his skin began to burn off. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound reached his ears, and he couldn't open his mouth.

. . . .

He snapped awake, finding himself on the ground, face against the floor. His face was wet, and his stomach rolled. He dashed to the bathroom and out came the food into the toilet. His body was racked with sobs as he sat back against the toilet. His stomach tightened again, and he placed his head over the bowl.

 _Everyone was dead._ Tears sprang to the young boy's eyes another time. He sniffed, the tears pouring down his face now that he leaned back against the wall beside the toilet. He covered his face with his hands and mumbled incoherently to himself. _Everyone's dying and I don't know how to make it stop_ , Krillin's voice was set on repeat in his head. "Me too, Krillin, me too."

He sensed Trunks heading out of his room, and he went to the door, shut it, and locked it up. He leaned on the door, sliding down to rest on the ground. There was a soft hesitant knock on the door. "Gohan, is everything alright?"

Gohan didn't trust his voice, so he didn't respond at first. He knew Trunks wouldn't leave unless he said something, so he cleared his throat. "I'm," he started again. "Everything's fine." There was shifting on the other side of the door. "You can go back to sleep."

"But, Go-"

"Trunks," he stated. "We can talk in the morning. Now, please, go back to sleep." He didn't really plan on telling him anything; it was just to make him head into his room. For a while, Trunks remained by the door until he took the boy's advice, going back into his room. He didn't sleep right away though.

Gohan sighed as his head rested against the door. He stared at the heavens and pondered why he was the last one, other than Trunks, and what caused the Androids' existence. Someone obviously created the machines for some reason. He just couldn't connect the dots as to why they terrorized everyone. He picked himself up and stormed out of the bathroom. He made sure not to announce his presence to the other male, taking extra caution by the teen's door. He made it to the lab, sitting by the computer.

His fingers flew across the keys, pulling up the time machine up to the screen. He scanned over the layout with a blank face. He has gone over the layout many times, and he made slight adjustments. By now, he knew everything about the time machine, even down to the last bolt and wire. It was fully captured by his brain.

He suddenly slapped his palms against the table, shaking the desktop. The nightmare surfaced in his head again, and he clenched his eyes shut. He pushed himself from the computer, bending his head down and leaning over. His teeth were grinding together, and his fists were tight enough to force red through his fingers. He tried to coax himself to stay calm, and somehow, he managed to remain in his normal state. _Relax, it was just a horrible dream. None of it happened._ He withdrew a breath that he didn't realize he was holding, and his eyes slowly opened.

When he looked around the room, which usually offered a type of retreat from the craziness outside, it seemed like the walls were closing in. His throat closed, and his eyes darted around. He needed to get out of there. He rushed out of the room and out of the house. He took to the air, leaving the house in his wake. He flew blindly through the air until he landed on the ground, stumbling to catch himself, and he tore open a door and stepped through. The tears sprung to his eyes as he wiped them with his sleeve.

Once his tears slowed and his breathing did the same, he looked at his surroundings. He found himself by the front door of Capsule Corp. He walked further into the place, gaze downcast and his feet stumbling over themselves. He went to the window after grabbing a chair. He placed it down, sitting and bringing up his knees. He brought them close, and he just stared out at the darkness. He saw some stars overhead and studied them. The walls swam as his mind returned to the reality that the Androids did murder everyone, and his dad did die from a virus.

He buried his face in his knees. This was so much. Ever since the boy was four, everything led to bloodshed and death. He hated it. He despised all of the fighting and running. He wouldn't wish this on anyone, even his worst enemies. The nightmare attacked him again and again. The worst part was everyone dying, and Gohan thought he was the reason they were dying since he was heading toward his dad, and they started to die one by one. He tightened his hold on his legs.

His eyes burned, and he sniffed slightly. He could feel the tears forming in his eyes again, fueled by rage and sadness. Something brushed over his arm, and his head snapped to the side to stare. He saw his tail, and he brought up a hand, blocking its movement. The tail hit off his hand, and then the tip of the tail wrapped around his wrist. A soft giggle escaped the boy at the tail. He twirled the tail between his fingers with a weak smile. The tail then moved subconsciously behind the boy.

He directed his gaze back outside with a frown, smile already gone. He stayed in that same position until the sun began to rise. The sun always rose no matter what, and Gohan would do the same. He put on a brave face, tail going around his waist. He stepped outside in the brisk air, and he lifted his feet off the ground. He reached the house just as Trunks seemed to be coming out of his room. Gohan gave him a strained smile as he closed the door behind him. "Morning, Trunks." He went to the fridge, getting out some food and going to cook it on the stove.

Trunks fidgeted when he took his seat. "You, uh…" He was no good at asking some questions; he wasn't like Gohan who could get an answer out of him with a question that didn't really seem important. He decided to just say it outright. "What happened last night?" His eyes narrowed. "And don't give me that you were fine."

Gohan blew out slowly. "It was just a small nightmare. It's nothing."

Trunks snapped to his feet. "It wasn't just nothing. I've heard you before when you have nightmares. You always head to the lab. This time was different. You were screaming, and I felt your power shoot through the roof." He glared at the ground.

Gohan frowned. "It's over with, Trunks. It doesn't matter."

Trunks clenched his fists at his sides. "When someone acts like you did after a nightmare, they shouldn't hold it in. They shouldn't dismiss it as 'nothing,' when it definitely was something." His mouth shifted down. "I hate when you don't tell me anything and let me help."

Gohan let go of the pan, eyes on the flames beneath it. He turned to glance over his shoulder and saw Trunks staring at him, face determined now.

"I want to help." He said.

Gohan presented the teen with a smile. He walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "You are helping." He tilted his head at the confusion crossing over Trunks' features. "The nightmare was about everyone dying from the Androids." He walked past the teen. "If that's what you wanted to know." He didn't look at the teen now. "It's a recurring nightmare, but it's not that bad usually." His mind drifted to the nightmare again.

Trunks' voice cut off his thoughts. "We might be able to prevent this from coming to your future. I gave Goku the heart virus cure, so he'll be fine when he takes it."

Gohan blinked, looking at him. "You mean…"

"Yes, he'll be alive this time, and everyone probably knows the Androids are coming in a few years- three from the day I arrived at your time."

Gohan's gaze lowered to the ground as the facts sunk in. This might not be their future then, and if Gohan and Trunks continued fighting the Androids in this time, they could defeat them, and Gohan could go home and stand a chance against the Androids in his time- if they even existed in his time that it. He didn't know what Trunks would do, though. He bit the inside of his cheek. He'd jump over that hurdle when it came to it.

Trunks saw the boy's face brighten faintly, and the teen almost sighed in relief. He preferred kind, happyish Gohan, not the whatever other one just seemed to take his place. Trunks has never really seen the boy super sad, but that was because he hid it very well, similar to the older Gohan too. The teen watched as the face before him turned serious.

The feeling was back, and Gohan shoved it away. That feeling was bad for everyone. The young boy's dark eyes traveled to Trunks, the tiny smile returning. "Want to check out the gravity chamber?"

Trunks grinned. "It has to be in better shape than the last time."

"C'mon, let's race."

Trunks took off. "Go!" Gohan chuckled lightly, catching up to the teen. Trunks noticed this and increased his speed. "Have to be faster than that!" He yelled over his shoulder, and he glanced forward again. His eyes widened as the door came extremely fast at him, and he couldn't slow down fast enough. His body jerked back, nose inches from the door, from a hand at his back. His shirt was released, and Trunks blushed some. "That could have been bad, thanks."

"Yeah, don't want you ruining the door or the machine." Gohan grinned at Trunks, who caught on his hints. He went inside, followed by the teen who gaped.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" His face lit up at the room, even if it was pretty dark inside. The console was lit up with red, blue, and green lights when Gohan turned the machine on. The pale blue glow around the room grew a smidge brighter so they could see the whole room, which Gohan made rounder and stronger. The young boy drifted to sit on the console as Trunks picked at it. He rattled on about the parts that connected with one another. He even told Gohan that he would have never thought the one thing could work with that type of metal.

Gohan shrugged a shoulder. "That piece sure gave me a hard time. It took me weeks to manufacture that part. Actually, I'm fairly sure that the piece took the longest out of everything." A soft chuckle escaped the boy's mouth, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "It took me less time to memorize the outline for the time machine than the time it took to build that."

"Speaking of the Time Machine, where is it?" Trunks questioned, face still drawn to the buttons on the console.

"In the middle of nowhere, somewhere in a cave in the forest."

"Someone could still find it there." His eyes went to the young boy, whose mouth twitched.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's easier if I show you." Gohan turned off the machine, heading toward the door. "Coming?"

Trunks followed him after he said he was. They made it outside, and they flew far from the cities. It got to the point that Trunks thought Gohan was messing with him. That was his thoughts for a while until Gohan's body snapped vertical and he dropped to the ground. Trunks headed down after the boy, and when he landed, he almost had to scramble to catch up with the young boy.

Gohan stopped at a cave's entrance and gestured. "Tell me when you find it."

Trunks glanced in at the dimly lit cave, and his eyes narrowed. "There's nothing here." He tore his eyes from the small inside and stared at the other. "Do you see something?"

Gohan went forward, placing his right hand along the rocks toward the back of the cave. He took out a wrench, and he messed around with the rocks for a bit, worrying Trunks even more. Just before Trunks said anything else, Gohan seemed to push the cave's walls and crush them together. The cave wall then rippled, and it went just a gray color. "Now you see it."

Trunks' jaw dropped, spying the machine behind the curtain-like thing that had just been the walls a moment ago. "That's… What… How?" He managed to force out of his mouth.

"The ultimate camouflage." The boy released the curtain that was a complete match with the cave behind it, minus the big time machine that was hidden there. "We had cars that could hover, so I thought why couldn't a screen have an image that's perfect with the one behind it." (Other than the machine that is.)

Trunks grabbed hold of the screen, pulling it back over to the real cave's wall. Once there, the gray formed into the corner of the cave. He pulled it out of the way. "It's amazing!" He put it back against the wall, the image projected was greatly detailed and the sun's rays seem to actually belong on the screen.

The boy flushed some, smile on his face. He closed it for the last time, securing the screen back to the wall. "I'm doing some work on it- the machine I mean. I'm trying to expand the interior and put in another seat. I bet no one wants to sit on anyone's lap, right?" A soft chuckle escaped him. "Or do you prefer that I make two instead, one for you and the other for me?"

"One's good enough. I'm heading back to your time anyway." Trunks started to walk out of the cave, and Gohan did the same.

"What are you going to do after we save my timeline?"

Trunks' feet paused for a second. "I never really thought about that."

"Well," Gohan said, lifting off the ground once they were outside. "You have some time to think about your next move."

"Isn't that the truth," chuckled the teen, flying up in the sky. The two boys went back to the house, taking their sweet time to watch everything below them. The two boys dropped to the ground before the door and entered. Gohan headed to the lab, and Trunks went after him. "Can I help with something?"

"Of course." Gohan turned the handle to the large orderly room. They spent the rest of the day in the lab since the Androids didn't seem to be too active; they didn't hear anything concerning the two robots actually. "See those two parts, can you connect them please?"

Trunks did as he was told, screwing them together. He handed it to Gohan, placing it in his hand, and the teen grabbed some more metal and wires, sorting through them. He placed the defective and bad- condition wise- ones into a junk box.

Before they knew it, it was really late. They packed everything up and put it off to the side. They parted at Trunks' room after dinner, where they fell asleep in their own beds. Trunks was instantly out, while Gohan sat crossed-legged on his bed. He let his tail roam around behind him as he meditated. It had been a long time since he meditated- before Bulma's death in all honesty. He was relaxed as he stayed in place, mind blank, until the feeling crept around him.

The temperature began to drop dramatically as the feeling grew stronger. The feeling was immediately suppressed with an irritated gaze, the temperature rose to a normal one. That feeling didn't belong here, and at least awake, he could fully control when it remained with him. Granted, the feelings he got may have saved them at times, but it didn't mean he liked them. As of late, it reminded him of his hated nightmares.

He shifted on his bed, small scowl on his face at the feeling that tried to budge back on him. The feeling was forced away again. The young boy leaned back, throwing out his legs straight on the sheet underneath his body. His eyelids dropped over his eyes as he made another face. _What is with these feelings? They're so weird…_ He sighed faintly.

He turned his head for a more comfortable position on his pillow, and the feeling crept back on him. Once again, he threw it out. They were awfully persistent tonight. Gohan's jaw tightened as his brows drew in. He didn't understand these feelings, and he knew for a fact that he never had these feelings before coming to the future. He wondered what was different from him and now, other than that he met the Androids, and he turned Super Saiyan.

Trunks had never mentioned getting any types of feelings, so Gohan knew that left out that option. Maybe it was just psychological? Was he so nervous that anything felt like something could harm him? Maybe he was jumpy? He just didn't know. He tried to calm his mind. He required sleep, especially on this night. Most likely, the Androids would attack tomorrow sometime or sometime soon. He drifted off to sleep after a few hours of laying in his bed.

. . . .

He found himself walking, feet sinking in the mud underneath. The sun beat down from overhead, sky a bright blue without any clouds in sight. He approached a stream, kneeling down to place a hand in the cold water. A bird chirped nearby. Gohan beamed at the stream, watching the tiny fish swim.

A caw from a bird reached his ears as it moved by his head quickly. He glanced over his shoulder, wondering what had frightened the dark creature. Next, he heard a blast whiz by his head, and he slid to the side to evade it. The feeling wrapped around the boy, and he felt it above his head mostly. His gaze snapped up, and he saw the Androids.

They smirked, and 17 had a slight tilt to his head, bringing up his hand. The boy took off, dodging blast after blast. 18 suddenly appeared in front of the boy. Her hands were behind her back, eyes locked on him. He narrowed his eyes. A smirk brushed onto the blonde's face. "Do you feel that? It's…"

"Your death!" 17 screamed as he flashed in front of his sister.

He held up his hands to shield himself, but he just smashed to the ground, sliding. He put his left hand out to roll himself off his back and to his feet. He sensed Piccolo's energy in the distance, and he knew that he should use Instant Transmission, so he did, putting up his two fingers to his forehead. He teleported next to his green mentor, and he grinned wide. "Piccolo!"

Piccolo turned to him. "Gohan, what are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed at the boy.

Alright, that wasn't the welcome he expected. "I'm here to see you." He said, tilting his head in confusion. "Why else?"

"No." He stated. "That's not what I meant."

The boy grew more confused. "Huh? What…"

"Do you feel that?" Piccolo asked him, face serious. Gohan nodded. The other continued. "What do you think that feeling represents?"

"I… I don't-"

"You do, you're just not thinking, Gohan." Piccolo's mouth straightened when Gohan felt the feeling rise up around them. "When does this feeling usually come?" He already knew the answer, Gohan was sure of that. Dark eyes rolled over to the young boy. "I thought you were smarter than that." He grunted in annoyance. "Guess I was wrong."

Gohan frowned. "I'm trying to understand- I really am."

Piccolo's mouth tilted down. "It might be too late anyway." The feeling was crushing them now and leaving them again to see their breath. He glanced back at the boy. "It's your responsibility to think this through. Think hard, kid."

Gohan thought and thought, but the feeling was too much. A flash to their right flashed at them, and Piccolo stepped between Gohan and the blast. Piccolo dropped as the blast disappeared. Gohan gently rolled him over, kneeling next to him. Two voices laughed somewhere nearby. "Piccolo," he started, but his mentor cut him off.

"Think will you."

Gohan gritted his teeth. "Does that really matter right now?" Tears sprang to his eyes. "You're dying again; they killed you another time. I couldn't make them stop. They-" Realization sparked in his eyes.

Piccolo just smirked. "Now you get-" He coughed once.

"Piccolo, you can't die alright."

"It's too late." Piccolo closed his eyes.

"No." The boy watched as his friend's chest heaved slowly. "You can't die. How am I supposed to get rid of the Androids without you?"

"You have all you need. You- You just have to use it now."

"Oh please. Just shut up already," 17 stated and a pale light came from his palm, lighting up Piccolo, taking his final breath away.

Gohan stared, tears stuck in his eyes. "Piccolo." He repeated a few times. The feeling grew more intense, and the Androids approached, coming up behind him. The feeling shifted behind him, covering him more.

 _"Let's take this to the next level."_ 17 mocked, and something collided with the young boy's back.

He launched forward in his bed, and sweat ran down the side of his face. His hands shook slightly, and after a few moments, the feeling remained, and Gohan reached his feet. He rushed to Trunks' room, shaking him awake. "Trunks, get up."

"Wh-What's wrong, Gohan?"

"Just get up, we have to leave." The younger boy pulled Trunks up and out of the house. They ran in the shadows.

Trunks whispered. "Can you tell me what this is all about?"

"I… I just have a feeling- a bad feeling."

"I don't understand," Trunks paused. "What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it. I just know the Androids are on their way."

Trunks didn't seem to believe him. "How do you-" His blue eyes got wide, and Gohan turned to gaze over his shoulder at what Trunks was staring at. There were the Androids, and they had sent a large blast at the two. It hit them, and they flew apart. Gohan's eyes opened, looking at the devastation around them. That blast must have had a massive explosion because every building within a mile radius of them was destroyed. He reached his feet, shouting for Trunks.

"Looking for this?" Gohan turned to 17's voice. Trunks dangled in his hand.

"Let him go, 17."

"Oh, sure." He tossed Trunks to the ground, actually not attacking. "Why would I want a dead person anyway."

"This kid has weird hobbies." 18 stated next to her brother.

Gohan rushed to Trunks and checked him over; a big gaping hole stood in place for his chest. Gohan's breath caught. _Not again_. "You are despicable."

"Oh thanks, we try." 17 smirked, while 18 sighed.

"That's it, he's totally going to die." 18 stood straighter and fired a blast that struck Gohan in the shoulder. He yelled out, gripping his wounded shoulder, stumbling to his feet. 18 fired another blast, and it captured the boy entirely, who screamed in pain.

. . . .

Gohan awoke from his nightmare in a cold sweat. His breath came out ragged. That was the first time that he "woke" up during a dream.

* * *

 _ **(Next Time: A Show of Possibility**_

 _ **Let's say maybe their reign won't last as long as they thought... or maybe it's something worse...**_

 _ **I'm truly sorry for the delay, just with school and all there hasn't been much time, but, nonetheless, here's another one. Also, the next chapter might take awhile as well, but let's hope this will suffice for a bit. Just for a quick note: I really enjoy Gohan's dreams, and they are important, but if some of you do not like them, I can limit them a lot, just say so.)**_

Reviews:

NinjaFang1331: Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Guest: I'm not entirely sure I'll have them drink the "super human water," but they will definitely find Korin's tower. As for the other things, I'll see what I can do. I'm not promising anything, besides the fact that they will find the tower and the HBTC.

Cruzerblade: Thanks, at least I know that the fights are not my first worry. I know that you said that the length was not necessary but nice; well, here's a long one, hopefully it makes up for the no update for months.


	8. Chapter 8

_**(I do not own anything, but the plot. Also, for one of the reviewers, I will try to make it easier to determine what are the dreams and what is reality. Not sure if I did it in this chapter because I had this done for a little while.. Sorry if it isn't. I will make sure I figure out a way for the next chapters. Any suggestions on the story or on how it could be improved?)**_

 _ **Chapter 8: A Show of Possibility**_

The sun rose the next morning, but it was covered by the darkened clouds that were approaching the house. Trunks stood outside the front door and stared. He had woken up even before he thought Gohan was out of his room, and Trunks had needed some fresh air. Honestly, he knew that the Androids were going to show themselves sooner or later today, and he didn't want anyone to die, but that was the only reason they could find the monsters.

It was terrible, but he understood that someone had to at least get hurt in order to locate the Androids. Unfortunately, if someone was harmed by the duo, they'd most likely end up dead. The teen's gaze grew annoyed. One of these days, the Earth and its people will be safe from the two. He just knew it. His mind drifted back to yesterday and a smile found its way onto his face. With Gohan's help, they could defeat the evil creations.

The wind picked up, and Trunks closed his eyes and sighed softly. _We'll finish what you started all of those years ago, Gohan._ The teen didn't know when, but he was certain they could do it.

 _All we have is Hope_ , his mother's voice surfaced in his head. He remembered once when he and his mother argued after Gohan's death; he had thought the hope was gone with his best friend. He pictured the world being overrun by the Androids as everyone perished. He watched with his own eyes as everyone was destroyed. He believed after he fought the Androids that there was nothing he could do.

He would admit that he wasn't strong enough, not nearly as strong as his mentor and not as important as Goku was to his mother. Goku was his mother's hope before he traveled back in time, but just like Trunks, her hope traveled to rest in someone else. The hope was Gohan- always was. No matter what age or form Gohan took, he was their hope. That's why he lived when no one else did in his time, and that's why he miraculously found his way to the future.

It made sense. Gohan fell into the time machine and traveled with Trunks for a reason. He didn't know the severity of this hope, but he knew that without the boy, Trunks would be a bloody heap on the ground. Gohan was still saving him, even now. Trunks shook his head. He wondered what would have occurred if Gohan never came to his time. The teen imagined himself returning, but he couldn't picture the timeline doing much better without Gohan. Many would have been wiped out, and Trunks would have been on his own fighting the two Androids.

He wasn't sure if his mother would have been alive, but he couldn't blame the other. His mother was always headstrong and tough, even more so in the past apparently. He started to relax against the door when five energy signatures disappeared. He jumped off the door and sprinted toward the signals that told him that the Androids were attacking. He leaped into the air and flew toward them. In mid air, he felt his hair spike up and the firelike aura rise from his body.

He should have waited for Gohan, but the other could always teleport next to him if he wanted, so he doubted it would be a problem. He reached the scene just as the Androids went on a blasting spree, covering the area with large craters. In mere seconds, the city was demolished and the people that used to be there were almost completely gone, vaporized by the energy blasts. Trunks clenched his hands and stopped in front of the Androids.

17 spoke up without looking at the demi-saiyan. "Looks good, doesn't it? I certainly like it much better now."

18 commented. "Less pests now." She flicked her hair, turning her icy gaze on the blond teen. "Where's the hero, sidekick?"

17 smirked after Trunks mentioned that he was on his way. "Well, isn't that such a problem for you." He finally turned to the half-saiyan.

Trunks' face changed, becoming even more determined. "I don't need his help to hold you two off."

18 raised a brow, and 17 laughed. "You're overly confident, and that's going to be your death," 18 stated as her right hand formed a fist.

Trunks got ready and braced himself. He just wasn't fast enough to evade the punch that connected with his cheek. His hand whipped out, and he shoved 18 away. He turned onto her, hands flying, and he shouted as a blast exploded out of his palms. He ducked underneath 17, who aimed for his head, and a swift kick sent the other male away from Trunks. He took a strong hit at his back, but he counterattacked with an elbow to 18's face. She hissed and sent her fist at the top of Trunk's head.

She barely missed as Trunks dodged to the side, but 17 met him there, kneeing him in the stomach. He clenched his teeth, eyelids blinking close for a moment. However, it was too much time since both of the Androids drilled the teen in the back. He spiraled toward the ground, managing to catch himself before he made yet another crater. He shot back at the Androids, fists flashing at the two, along with a few kicks here and there.

He landed quite a few good hits, but the Androids still didn't seem all that affected. A slap from 18 to the side of his face forced him to the left, and an elbow dug into the top part of his back. The elbow had enough power behind it to send him to the ground. His feet bounced off the rubble twice; the second time brought Trunks to his knees. Catching his falling body with his right hand, his chest heaved, and his eyes traveled to the air. He watched the Androids speed toward his position on the ground.

Obviously, they were not playing around this time. At the last second, Trunks jumped to his feet and moved out of the way. The others almost smashed into the ground, but 17 just stopped himself, while 18 disappeared. Trunks' head whipped around to find her, only to discover something glowing overhead. He looked up just as 18's blast struck him. He screamed out, landing back on the ground. Somehow, he was still on his feet for a second until 17 rushed at him, kicking him into the air. 18 appeared above him, flying next to the teen as he tried to right himself, hands clasped behind her back. A smirk was present on her face as her knees came up toward her face and her feet smashed into Trunks' chest.

Once more, he yelled out in pain, twirling in the air for a bit until he got back in control of his falling. Just as that happened, 17 was in his face, fist heading straight into his nose. He was propelled backward, and for a second, his vision darkened. He concealed a pant as he went toward the ground, and with assistance from 18's heel, he slammed into the earth. A line of red came from his cracked lip. _Hurry up, Gohan…_ He spit out some of blood as he rose to his shaking feet.

He saw the two hovering above him in the air, both had similar expressions of glee on their faces. They stood side-by-side, releasing a combined blast, and Trunks flew up into the air trying to prevent the collision between him and the fast-moving energy blast. He darted past the Androids, who immediately targeted him again. He swerved in the air just as 18 appeared in his path, and he ducked before 17 could land a hand on him. He spun in the air to face the Androids, but a foot was firmly planted in his back, and his body was pushed forward, directly into 18's outstretched hand.

"It has been forever since we got to do this, eh 18?" 17 questioned as he backhanded the teen back to his sister, who nodded.

"Funny, I missed this."

"You too?" 17 received Trunks from 18's kick, and he just punched the super saiyan in the other direction. Trunks felt his body sag and stop moving when 18's hands held onto his arm. "Over here, 18! Batter up."

Trunks' blue-eyed gaze wavered as they searched the sky to study the male Android, who had a pole in his hands. When he registered what was about to happen, he began to spin in the air. "Here. Catch this." The teen was thrown through the air, and he clenched his eyes closed, waiting for the impact. The makeshift bat hit off the teen, shattering instantly at the connection. Trunks' scream echoed along with the sound that came from the pole hitting him. He was falling; that was all he could comprehend.

He was heading straight for the ground _again_. His eyes refused to open correctly. Then, his body stopped its descent, and Trunks knew what had happened. A smile breached his tired face. "He-Hey… Gohan…" His arm was slung over the young boy's shoulder right after Trunks looked at the boy. The teen didn't notice that they were now safe on the ground, no longer drifting down in the air. He also didn't notice Gohan set him down, propping him up against a building, and he missed the fact that the boy was wearing purple at the moment, too. He did notice what Gohan said though.

"Stay here."

Trunks' hands fumbled along the damaged building. "But Gohan…" His voice trailed off, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

Gohan turned to him. "I'll handle this, just remain here." His dark eyes traveled up to the sky. "I'll be right back." The dark locks shivered and flashed to their golden color, and the teal eyes appeared in the same instance. Gohan took off, heading toward the Androids. 18 was going to head around Gohan to reach Trunks when the boy blocked her path.

18's eyes narrowed at him. "Move, kid."

Gohan's eyes narrowed right back at her. " _No."_

Both Androids blinked at his tone. "What crawled up your a-" 17 started.

Gohan observed 18, who made another move for Trunks. He decided to move swiftly and cut her off. "You didn't promise to end him, but you did say you'd end me."

"So? Who cares." 17 stated.

Gohan's eyes locked onto 18. "Yet I'm still standing. You broke your promise."

A deep fury flashed into 18's eyes, and she darted forward. As she did that, her brother did the same. The two Androids came at the boy from both sides. Gohan brought all of his limbs close, dropping a few feet to evade their attacks, and he sprang back up, his foot clipping 17 in the stomach. He flipped in the air just as 18 came at him, and he lunged forward, landing a blow to the female's cheek. She drifted back some as her brother aimed for Gohan. He deflected the hand, and he pushed 17 away with his left hand. 18 was already on his other side, so he ducked and brought up a strong foot. It whipped 18 into her brother, and Gohan's hand went up. A ball of energy appeared as he pictured some key parts of his dreams. _Use your anger as power, just don't let it control you._ He exhaled, swirling the ball of energy above his head and cocking his hand back. He threw the blast, and another replaced it, so he could chuck that at them as well. Both blasts connected, exploding and creating smoke.

The young boy instantly flew up in order to escape the smoke. Unluckily for him, the smoke cleared and the Androids were nowhere to be seen, _again._ The feeling crept up on him, rising above him. He jumped further into the air as the duo appeared right where he just had been located. For a moment, the Androids seemed confused. Then, it was replaced with aggravation. Their eyes immediately found him, and they flashed directly in front of the boy. He covered himself with his hands, each hit striking him back a bit. He closed one eye at each connection until the fifth one. He saw the pattern they would do.

As 18 withdrew her hand and 17 rushed in with his attack, Gohan grabbed ahold of 17's arm, tugging him down, and he used 17's head to throw himself over the Android, smashing 18 in the side of the head with his heel. He fixed himself, moving himself upright instead of sideways. He placed his hands on top of one another, positioning them above his head. He let loose one Masenko, which forced the two Androids backward. The feeling found itself within the boy as the Androids darted at him. They disappeared from view, and the feeling spread out all around him.

His eyes darted around, trying to find the "robots." When he had no luck with that, his eyes closed, and he concentrated on the feeling. The chilling feeling wavered around him, and it began to close around him. It grew stronger along Gohan's sides. He dashed back, eyes opening to watch the two Androids zip back into existence and almost collide with each other. His eyelids flickered to cover his eyes once more as the feeling wrapped around him.

This time, though, he didn't get a chance to determine where they might hit, and one struck him straight in the face. He could already feel his eye swelling. His eyes revealed themselves, and 18 kneed him in the stomach. He rolled off her knee, slamming the side of his left foot into 17's body somewhere. The Android was barely fazed by the hit, and he was heading right for him. Gohan flew back, attempting to put distance between him and the Androids, who definitely didn't want to give him any.

He used his forearms to shove them away, preventing them from getting close enough to hit anything important. They continued their assault, sending Gohan scrambling to keep up, gaze focused on their movements. He took more hits, and he began to slow slightly, and they obviously noticed. They used that to their advantage, attacks increasing with random kicks and jabs at him. The feeling wrapped around him, and he pushed it away out of habit.

He was rewarded with 18's right hook that sent him reeling. He dashed through the air. He hadn't seen that coming, and he also didn't think 17's next hit to his side would send him further through the air. He understood that he needed to be focused and ready for anything, and he silently reminded himself. He picked up speed and spun in the air to face the approaching Androids, still flying fast backward for a few seconds.

He suddenly darted at the others. He didn't head straight for them; he darted left then right then left again. He flew through the air, fading out of sight each time he switched directions. He was upon the two, and they both stood next to each other, hands close. They let loose a powerful blast, hitting Gohan, who _seemed_ to take it straight on. A voice spoke up from behind them. "Missing something?" The voice was slightly monotone.

They whipped around. 17 received an elbow in his eye, and 18 was given a right fist in her chin. Their eyes were slightly round, but they automatically covered it up with rage at the young boy. 18 growled. "You brat. I'm done going soft on you kid."

17 rubbed his face. "You're right, 18. Let's stop messing around." Yeah, 18 could say she was almost surprised that he agreed to stop goofing off and handle the situation correctly for once, but both of them knew that a kid showing them up was no good at all. The two siblings glanced at one another, aligning their bodies so Gohan could only see 18. The two Androids moved as one until they were basically on top of the boy. 17 jumped over 18's head, laced hands aimed for Gohan's head, and 18 lashed out a right hand. Gohan reacted, expelling a burst of energy from his body. The energy exploded outward, and the two Androids were hurled away from him. Two identical blasts hovered above Gohan's palms, and with his intense eyes, he calculated where they would end up, even adding their speed and their ability to stop quickly.

He launched the two balls of energy at the spots just as the Androids stopped in the air. Both were hit with the blasts, and quickly, the smoke disappeared to show the two standing there, clearly furious with the young half-breed. "Is that all you can manage?" He raised a golden brow at the two, who refused to respond. They just glared daggers at him. His blank mask surfaced again, only showing his annoyance in his eyes after some time. He saw 17 come at him, and his eyes caught the fast movement from behind the other male.

18 was heading off toward Trunks. The feeling covered the area, and Gohan accidentally ignored it as he pushed his body as fast as it could go, effectively halting 18's progress. 18's icy eyes blinked at him just as 17 zoomed next to her side.

"Your fight is with me. Leave Trunks out of this."

"Or what," challenged 17. "We all know you're just a-"

18 cut him off, sending a blast whizzing by Gohan's ear. A smirk lifted her lips for a fraction of a second when Gohan's gaze widened and watched the energy head toward the teen. Then, the smirk was crushed into a deep scowl. Gohan had appeared before it, hitting it away with his hand. The blast went for the Androids instead. 18 and 17 split from one another, letting the energy explode harmlessly away from them. The boy drifted in front of the two, eyes drilling into them.

They looked extremely unhappy, which was obvious from their narrowed gazes, their tight mouths, and tense bodies. Gohan brought up his hands in a stance when the feeling grew more intense all around him. He swallowed a bit. He focused on the feeling, yet he continued to study his immobile foes. He was quick as he approached them- just not as quick as when he first started fighting them but fast enough. The two separated from one another, sending various punches at the boy, who dodged and deflected most of them.

More hits bounced off his form, and he bit the inside of his cheek, losing his hold of the feeling, and it evaporated like he had forced it away. A good fist from 18 sent his head back, and he ended up flipping backwards to face them again. He leaped to the side, making the Androids almost punch one another yet again. He had to keep their attention- he knew this, so he yelled over at them. "Is this you're not going easy on me? It's sadly disappointing!"

They both hissed over at him, and Gohan waited for them to come at him, which they did. They were ready to see blood, but Gohan wouldn't have that. He sped back in the air, preventing a few blows to his body. 17 cursed at him when Gohan gave him a steady punch to the stomach. "That's it!" He raised a hand, thumb down while his other fingers remained up. " _Die!"_ The blast erupted from the hand and headed for the boy.

The atmosphere grew colder, and something found its way along Gohan's waist. He touched his hidden tail under his red sash for a split second. The feeling rose to his back next. Gohan adjusted his stance, allowing the blast to go past his head. He tilted his head, and he stated. "You almost got me with that one." He understood that he was being quite rude, but he had to keep their focus on him and _not_ Trunks.

17 clenched his hands, while 18 crossed her arms over her chest. "You're getting weaker." 18 announced. "We're not."

Gohan kept his head tilted. She did have a point at that. The Androids didn't seem tired, yet he wouldn't expect them too. He- himself- was getting weaker because of the amount of energy he was putting out, and his slight reliance on that weird feeling, which was still at his back for a strange reason.

"17, let's play a game." 18's cold voice didn't hold any room for arguing.

17 looked like he might have though, but he thought better of it. He simply asked, shrugging in defeat. "Which one?"

18 let her hands dropped. "Duck and cover."

"Oh yeah! Now we're really going to have fun!"

"... Yeah." They circled each other and rushed toward Gohan. Gohan seemed like the only one to not get this game since both Androids spun round and round. He was so distracted- _wait, that's what they wanted_. Instead of focusing on the spinning Androids constantly, he kept an eye out for his back. The two Androids slowly neared him, small pieces of the feeling broke away from his back to land where the Androids were, as if the Androids were following them- only being a millisecond behind it. His teal eyes flickered between the two and then the gathering pressure at his back.

Away from the fight, there was a much more concerning issue. Gohan could sense Trunks' energy fluctuating, almost to the point that it almost disappeared at times. He turned back to the fight just as the Androids disappeared. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he grabbed hold of the feeling on his back. He could practically see the Androids behind him a few yards away from him. They stood an even larger distance from each other. He could almost make out the two raising their hands and aiming. 18 had both hands out, a pink light emanating from both of her palms. She shot rapidly. 17 brought out energy into his hands, forming two powerful spheres of energy. He let one loose, and then the next, creating more when each one escaped his hand.

Trunks' energy signature took a sudden nosedive again, but this time it remained dangerously low. That distracted Gohan enough that he didn't register that the Androids were firing at him until it was too late. He was bombarded with so many attacks.

. . . .

Trunks watched as Gohan took on the Androids alone, and he was honestly expecting the worse. However, from the beginning, Trunks was in awe at the spectacle. He couldn't believe that Gohan was _that_ strong. It was incredible! Even if the boy took a few hits, he didn't seem too bothered, which didn't say too much since it was Gohan after all. He clung to the building as he watched the fight unfold way above him.

They could destroy the Androids- Gohan could do it! Trunks' mind was set. The entire Earth would be saved, and freedom from the Androids was so close that Trunks could taste it- heck he could see it now. Gohan sped through the air, throwing punches, kicks, and blasts at the Androids. They hit the siblings, and somewhere in Trunks cheered. They were getting what they deserved. He was glad that the monsters would be stopped.

He dropped his hand from the side of the building, and he couldn't help the smirk that found itself on the teenager's face. "Finally," he breathed out. They had all waited for so long. Perhaps, if he wasn't so dizzy and delirious, he could have seen that Gohan wasn't doing as great as he initially thought. He stumbled, and his hand snatched the side of the building again. His body shuddered, and he cleared his throat, forcing himself to glance up at the fight.

Looking at the forms, Trunks' head spun, and his stomach tightened. He swayed, leaning up against the building for support. His blue eyes went to the ground as everything circled round and round. He straightened slightly when he brought his eyes up to the fight once again. He locked eyes with Gohan, who was staring at him. This was the first time he ever really saw _this_ Gohan so serious and resolute. Of course, when Gohan fought the Androids, he was determined and focused, but never quite like this.

Trunks could barely keep his eyes opened now, even when something bright headed in his direction. He couldn't make out what it was, but whatever it was hurt his head even more. He groaned, slumping against the building to his side. _Stay awake_ , he repeated to himself multiple times. He had to remain conscious- he just had to… Pain ran along his body, and he gritted his teeth, vision darkening immediately afterward.

He slid down the building for a second, managing to barely stay on his feet. He shuddered once, and his eyes shifted up some. His throat constricted painfully at the scene. Gohan was getting hit- a lot. His feet fumbled, and he attempted to come off the ground to help his friend, but he merely groaned. His eyelids drooped when the Androids' attacks finally ceased. Trunks' chest expanded quick as he fought sleep. He had to be awake, just in case Gohan didn't make it.

Trunks frowned at the thought, eyes presently on the large cloud of smoke. His limbs felt like lead, and he couldn't even pick up his arms anymore. "Please, Gohan, be alright," he whispered in a plea. Around the edges of his eyes the darkness started to creep in. He rested his entire body against the building. He kept forcing his eyes to open, but each time, they would begin to close even more. The last thing he saw was the smoke pulling away and Gohan standing there with his green barrier flickering away. He had to stay awake, and he could feel the need to not give up and _hold on for a few more minutes_. He couldn't- he refused to give up; yet, the dark finally won, and Trunks fell.

. . . .

Gohan exhaled roughly, bringing down his barrier. He had taken most of the blows- especially at the beginning. He had just put up his barrier for protection toward the end of their "Duck and Cover" game. He turned around to meet the Androids. 17 had a crazed look in his eyes. "That's impossible!" He placed both of his hands up and aimed at Gohan. "You can't have that strength. Fine, I'll just prove that it means nothing!" He shot rapidly at him, this time he was primarily focused on killing the boy. 18 joined in as well, just as angry as her brother.

Gohan sensed the feeling; it hovered down on the ground. It was by Trunks, whose energy was fading fast. _Don't give up, Trunks._ He flew up into the air, blasts following right behind him. Each blast continued to close in on him, and the last one got his heel. He bit back a yell. Trunks energy was so low now, and Gohan knew the teen wasn't going to hold out much longer. _Just hold on for a few more minutes._

He darted up in the sky, blasts exploding near him. He twirled in the air, targeting the two Androids. His breath came out ragged. His strength and power was slowly failing him, but he still pushed himself. 17's blast neared Gohan, and he leaped over it, rushing toward the duo. 18 was the first to react, springing forward and giving Gohan a sharp punch to his ribs. Gohan kicked at her, making her dodge and jump back. 17 came at him from his left side.

The boy had his arm up, taking the hit and shoving the male Android out of the way. He blew past 17, turned, and cupped his hands. His hands traveled to his side. He grabbed hold of his energy inside, drawing it out to a point between his hands. A picture of his dad and his friends doing this technique surfaced. "Ka… Me… Ha…" The Androids attacked, so he flashed out of the way. "Me… HAA!" He appeared next to the Androids, releasing the white-blue energy in a rush. They couldn't move out of the way, so they took the energy beam at point blank range.

Next, Gohan drifted back, and he launched random spheres of compressed ki at the gathering smoke. The feeling was now at the ground and in the smoke. The spheres slammed into the Androids repeatedly. Lastly, he placed his hands above him. "Masenko!" He screamed out once as he shot three off in a row. By the time he was finished, his body slouched forward, and he gulped for air. Something flew out of the smoke; 17 came barrelling out of it and smashed Gohan in the face with an elbow. His body whipped back, and a right hand from 18 cuffed him in the other side. He spun twice, steadying himself as the Androids were less than a foot away from him.

17's arm sliced through the air at blazing speeds, and Gohan grabbed hold of it right before it impaled deep within his chest. He blinked at the hand, which happened to be centimeters from breaking skin. The crazed gleam in the Android's eyes surfaced, but a smirk rose to his features. "This concludes our game." His other hand came at Gohan now.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched 18 stand there with her arms crossed, the same gleam creeping to her eyes. She was about to tell her brother that she wanted to take this kill, but she didn't get a chance because Gohan yanked 17 over his head and back down, hitting 18 with her brother. Both Androids crashed together, and Gohan didn't give them time to react. He sent a few blasts in their direction. Trunks' energy was almost nonexistent at the moment, so he had to hurry.

Twin blasts formed above his palms as his arms stretched out. His eyes caught the two speeding at him. He concentrated on his fingertips. The identical balls of energy expanded. A memory from Namek came to mind; it was a memory of Vegeta for some reason. He combined the balls, and instead of shooting the Androids, he basically clapped his hands together, creating a smoke screen again. This time the cover was wider and thicker. He brought his fingers to his forehead, appearing next to Trunks.

Trunks was still alive, and Gohan thanked Kami for that, slipping Trunks' arm around his shoulders. In the next moment, they were transported to the lab. Usually, Gohan would have brought them to the door so they wouldn't destroy the lab or hurt themselves on the equipment on accident. However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

He cleared the bed with a sweep of his hand and put the teen on the bed. He hooked Trunks up and bandaged the wounds for him. He looked over the other with a frown at his condition. Trunks' face was scrunched up in pain, and it was an unhealthy pale. He hovered around the teen, waiting for any signs of waking. He clenched his hands, static skittering around them. He didn't think he was gone that long.

He had been unable to get to sleep the previous night, so he had waited until a little before dawn to head over to Capsule Corp. He decided to put on the purple gi; he thought that he could now. He thought he could make Piccolo and his father proud. He thought that Trunks and him could defeat the Androids- eventually. He never imagined Trunks getting so hurt today. He gripped the purple fabric, eyes clenching closed. He failed another time- his promises broken again.

He took too long to reach Trunks- too wound up in his own thoughts. He grinded his teeth together. He didn't do these colors justice. His eyes opened, and he stared at his hand securely around the gi. The hand was surrounded in gold, and Gohan let the fabric go. Apparently, he was still in his super saiyan form. He dropped the transformation. He pulled up a chair next to the bed, studying the heart monitor. It beeped. _Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep…_ The sound droned on and on, ringing in his skull until the beeping in his head mashed with the sounds from the monitor.

"Don't give up." Gohan instructed the teenager. He abruptly stood up when he discovered the sharp stabbing pain in his chest. His left hand gripped the purple gi, and his chest heaved up and down. The pain exploded in his chest, and he gasped out, struggling to take in the needed oxygen. He stumbled away from Trunks. Even if he was unconscious, he didn't want to take the chance that Trunks would see it. He has been hiding it away since he reached the future and after the first fight with the Androids, and he wasn't about to tell Trunks and worry him over probably nothing.

It really only showed up after a strenuous fight, when he got hit in the chest, or some times it was during extremely emotional episodes. He landed on his knees with a thud, and his chest heaved. Pain exploded in his chest again, shooting to the other parts of his body. He grunted at the next wave of agony. He couldn't breathe at all; he was wheezing now, head pounding along with his heart. His grip tightened on his clothing as the pain increased. He bit back a scream, eyes tearing.

He placed his hot forehead against the cold ground, eyelids growing heavy and chest expanding rapidly. Soon the pain subsided, and Gohan regained his normal breathing pattern. He rose somewhat, sitting back on his heels. He dropped his hand in order to push himself to his shaky feet. He wiped his forehead with his arm and cautiously made it back over to the bed. He observed the sleeping form, and he raised his arms to adjust some of the equipment.

The action gave him severals stabs to his arms. After he was finished, he took a seat, the corners of his mouth shifting down. He had really messed up. He should have kept an eye out for Trunks. A sigh escaped his lips. He considered not checking himself out, opting to watch over the teen instead. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to go anywhere soon- Gohan was positive of that.

He finally chose to glance over his own injuries. He didn't have major wounds that he could tell, but he turned to the dark spot on his shoulder with a loud sigh. It was probably from Trunks. He put the fabric between his fingers, feeling how soaked it was. He grew confused at how damp it was. Trunks didn't have large gashes under his arms, so why was it drenched in blood? He removed the fabric, pushing it to the side, and his eyes went wide.

His skin was covered in blood; it ran down his back and flowed down his chest. He grabbed a cloth, hands dapping at the blood to find the wounds. He found a gaping hole on his back, and a slightly smaller hole on the other side. He walked over to the supplies and grabbed a bandage. He was about to wrap up his shoulder when he heard a groan from the bed and stiffened.

When he deemed that Trunks was still asleep, he hurried to the bathroom, so he could bandage up the bloody mess. He cleaned it and wrapped it, crisscrossing it over his shoulder, back, and front. He observed the wrapping and deemed it adequate. He made his way back to Trunks after changing, claiming the chair again. He sat by the teen for the remainder of the day.

. . .

* "Wake up Trunks," a whisper drifted in the wind, but Trunks ignored it, concentrating on flying through the clouds, under the bright blue sky. He didn't ever want this peace to end. He didn't have to worry about any Androids or near death experiences. Maybe during one time that could have been possible. He reduced his speed until he was floating in the air. He brushed his bangs out of his eyes with his thumb. Maybe there could be a possible future that didn't have horror and corpses piled up along the streets, but he knew none of that could have been possible.

Since he grew up with his current future, he just couldn't imagine being a kid growing up in a time of peace. Yes, there may be places in the past that are peaceful, but a dark presence surfaces, _always_. He looked around himself as the whisper pleaded with him to hang on, and soon his body grew cold with a brisk wind that whipped by him. He took one last breath, and he announced aloud. "I'm not giving up. This is going to be for the citizens of Earth, for my mother, Gohan, and everyone else, even you Father…" He paused, closing his eyes. He didn't want to leave; he just wanted to continue on in this fairy tale, but he couldn't- oh how he wished though. Suddenly, his expression hardened. He would always fight for Earth! He closed his eyes, trying to throw himself out of whatever dream this was.

However, when he opened his eyes again, it remained with him. It was content to hold him forever, but he made up his mind, so he found his energy within him, and he pushed it out as much as he could possibly do. The wind swirled around him, purple hair and clothing whipping from the extreme air gusts. Gold exploded off him, and he shouted real loud, hands clenched. He wanted to leave this place. He was one of the only protectors of Earth now. He couldn't abandon them. He wanted _out! *_

Trunks startled awake, eyes snapping open and his body went almost vertical. Then, the pain hit him, more like slammed into him. He let out a sound of pain, hand going to his right shoulder. Events started to flow back to him as he remembered the previous fight with the Androids, who apparently weren't fighting Gohan and Trunks for sport anymore. They were actually aiming to rid them of the world. His eyes widened. "Gohan… Oh man…" He leaped to his feet, shoving past the pain, and he hobbled out of the room, taking off the cords in the process. What if he went back to try to finish the Androids? What if Gohan was _dead?_

That last thought sickened him, and he hurried more through the house. He leaned on the wall for support, heading toward the kitchen to make it to the door. He could see the door when he heard something that could make him run and hug the poor boy, but instead, he whirled around. "Gohan, are you okay?!"

Gohan blinked at the loudness of the teen. "Of course, Trunks, I should be asking you that." He advanced toward Trunks, who automatically slouched against the wall. The young boy slipped an arm around his friend and helped him to a chair in the living room. "You seem to have a lot of energy, what's the rush?"

"I thought that you…" Trunks went silent at the Son's look of blankness. Of course Gohan wouldn't leave him, at least when he was in his current condition, so he blushed red at his mistake. "I, uh…" He glanced to the ground in slight shame.

Gohan just gave him a light smile. "Well, I'm glad your up and running. It's really better than before." He perched down on the chair across the way. "And before you ask," Gohan said, and Trunks closed his mouth, not realizing he was going to ask something. Gohan continued, "You have been out for two and a half days, and there wasn't-" He lied. "Any Android activity for some reason." There had been, in fact, Androids tearing up a faraway village, and Gohan couldn't make it in time. The small village was destroyed in a single blast, taking out everything and everyone. Also, he had to make sure Trunks was in stable condition before he went off, but today was the only positive reaction to anything Gohan had attempted to rescue his friend, but it seemed to last ten seconds.

Trunks nodded his head and grimaced at the throbbing of it. Silence filled the living room for four moments until Trunks stated. "You know you can end this, so why didn't you…? I mean, yeah I was injured, but you were so close, Gohan. You could have finished it!" He narrowed his blue eyes at his knees. "You should have left me and stopped them. The people have suffered enough, haven't they?" He turned his heated gaze on Gohan.

Gohan didn't even flinch when he continued.

"You didn't go back at them… Why would you let them continue their destruction?" Trunks gritted his teeth when Gohan replied softly.

"I can not defeat them-"

"You could have," responded Trunks.

"No, I couldn't, and it didn't have anything to do with going back to help you." Gohan watched the teen glance away with a frown. "I couldn't because I'm not strong enough… We aren't strong enough," he finished, which resulted in Trunks turning back to him.

"Gohan, you were…"

Gohan stood up. "I wasn't anything compared to them, Trunks, and won't be for a long time. We both need to train before we can accomplish defeating the Androids. By myself, I used far too much energy, yet they still kept replacing any of their energy they threw out at us. We are not like them, and I need your help."

Trunks' expression darkened. He couldn't though. He wanted to help, but he realized that the Androids would always swat him to the side. He was definitely not strong enough to defeat the two cyborgs, and if what Gohan said was true, they weren't close to freeing the world of those two monsters. A hand brought him out of his head, causing the teen to stare at his young friend, whose lips curled up in a small smile.

As if reading his mind, Gohan said. "Yes you can." He added. "We'll get started once you heal up." He walked into the kitchen. "And no whining and complaining."

Trunks frowned. "About… what…?" His head was still scrambled up, running to grab and interpret what Gohan was truly saying.

"Training," he told the other without hesitation. "We'll start with the basics."

. . . .

When the hand struck his side, the pain shot through his body, and he grew more determined as the other seemed to dance around him effortlessly. He was, by far, not healed up completely, but he got Gohan to spar with him a few times a week. It has been only a week and four and a quarter days since Trunks has woken up from his couple days sleep, and he was allowed for some sparring after a week of recovery because Gohan "deemed" him much more fit to practice and fight. He could have rolled his eyes at the young boy, but he was indeed right. Some healing period would greatly benefit Trunks, and from the damage he endured, he would require a long one, even for a saiyan half breed.

Gohan placed out his elbow, pushing Trunks' fist away from Gohan's body, and the young boy disappeared from view, only appearing next to him a second later. Trunks blocked the sharp kick with his hands. This morning they were focusing on mostly the basics of fighting, from their experiences with their mentors and from some martial arts books that Trunks' mother had randomly piled in one of the rooms in the house. Trunks received a blow to his side, and he stumbled and connected with the ground.

As he pushed himself up onto his elbows, he winced a bit, glaring at the pain faintly. He reached his feet as Gohan's feet landed next to him. "I think we should stop for a bit, to eat," he added quickly so Trunks wouldn't think it was his fault, which partly it was, but the young boy didn't mind the small break. He remembered how he trained with Piccolo, and boy was that tough, but Piccolo seemed to see some potential in him from the beginning, somehow.

Trunks said, sarcastically. "What are _you_ tired?" He stopped, and he sighed. "Gohan, I'm sorry, it's just seems like I'm holding you back from training…" He cursed his injuries, at how weak they made him. To him, the gap between the Androids and himself would always widen, which was probably not what actually happened. It was most likely that they tried a little more than before. He wondered how strong the Androids actually were.

"We'll get to me eventually, but first, we need to make sure you're ready." He started to walk back toward the house, opting to not fly for the moment. Trunks lingered there for a second, and then, he followed after. They walked side-by-side, and Gohan glanced over at the teen; the teen looked deep in contemplation, face completely serious. Gohan turned his eyes up to the sky. "Ever wonder what's out there?"

"Out where, space?"

"Yeah, I've only really been to Namek, and that wasn't exactly a vacation, maybe one of dad's vacations… There has to be other life out there somewhere."

"I guess, but the question is, are they friendly?"

"I would like to think some may be." His dark eyes watched the slow moving clouds and a few birds flying across the sky. "Not everyone can be like Frieza and his family, and we all know what happened to them." He tilted his head to look over at Trunks. "You got rid of them, and you, not anyone else, did that single-handedly. You have the power, Trunks, and with your determination, anything can be possible. It's been that way for years on Earth, even before you were born, and it won't change unless you let it."

Trunks stared over at him, and since they were stopped, he moved his feet a little from side to side. He didn't really know how to respond to that advice.

Luckily he didn't have to because Gohan lifted his feet off the ground a few inches. "You can defeat them Trunks, not right now, but soon, trust me." He placed a hand on Trunks' head, a similar gesture to what his father did to him sometimes, and a genuine smile surfaced. He had no doubt that Trunks could pull through all this, and he was certain Trunks could destroy the Androids once and for all, and Gohan would allow him the honor. Trunks had obviously faced a lot, and it was taking its toll, but he will realize that everyone has the potential to do great things, despite the odds. He went further into the air, and he motioned for Trunks to do the same.

While Gohan flew ahead, Trunks caught up with him. Purposely, Gohan went ahead a bit, forcing Trunks to pick up the pace. He sped up again, and Trunks remained with him. The younger of the group chuckled under his breath, and he dove toward the ground, lining up perpendicular to the ground, and Trunks' energy signaled his appearance directly next to him. Eight feet from the ground, Gohan sharply flew to the left, and next he headed for a building, shooting through the hole in the glass windows and walls to the other side. He dropped to the ground as he came out the other side to prevent decapitation by a hanging sign, and he rose back up into the air again, flying toward the house at half-speed.

All the while he did that, Trunks followed suit and managed to remain close by. He actually took the lead when they got closer to the house. A grin found its way onto the teen's face as he looked over his shoulder at Gohan. In the distance, Gohan spied the house among the ruins, and he quickened his speed, which Trunks did the same, staying in front of the boy by a few feet or so. Soon, they were flying extremely fast that the buildings below blurred, and they almost passed the house, dropping down the last second and skidding along the dirt. Trunks turned around, a slight smile on his face.

"Guess you one that one, Trunks." Before Trunks could respond, Gohan opened the door and let the other head in first. He questioned. "What do you want for lunch?"

. . . .

After lunch, they both rested, more like relaxed and lazed around the house, so they changed into more comfortable attire. Gohan had his white shirt, black pants, and shoes, while the other found less holy pants and a blue long-sleeved capsule corp shirt on. Eventually, though, the teen grew fatigued and drifted off to his room for a nap, while Gohan read another book. He was starting to run out of books in the house that leaned toward academics, but there were other ones that seemed pretty informative, but those were only a few. Within four days, he'd probably be finished with Bulma's stash. Finally, he finished his book and glanced over at the clock. He debated when Trunks normally woke up, and he concluded that he had sufficient time to go find some.

He placed the book on his chair, and he made the journey outside, pausing and listening before he left though. After he had discovered no humans or Androids near, he took to the air and flew off to a close city. Even though he has been in the future for a while, he hasn't really seen any of the sights, other than the total destruction of a ton of cities, villages, houses, and buildings. As his eyes scanned, his thoughts wandered back to when he first arrived and met Trunks and Future Bulma, a smile edging to his face. They were so caring and apologetic for bringing him to this time, but Gohan guessed he'd rather be here, and even if he went back before he went into the time machine, he'd do the same thing as before, maybe making less mistakes than the first time though or so he hoped.

His thoughts trailed off to be replaced with an idea. He wondered if his timeline changed, would this one exist? He also wondered about the time machine and how far it could really go. Was the time machine something that could go whenever someone wanted? Would what Trunks did in his time make a difference for this future, and what would become of them if it did change suddenly? Or would his branch off and form another timeline? He's not entirely sure on time travel because all the stories he has found describe that as make believe and fiction, but could some of them have some truth in them? Once again, his mind was a tangle of unanswered questions that could be found in the distant future.

He finally locked his dark eyes on a large, crater filled city, and he descended to the ground. When his feet landed, he walked to a store that appeared to lean precariously to the side. He cautiously removed the door and placed it to the side. Peering in, he saw it was a library. He perked up some from the convenience. He made his way along the cracked floor and over to the clutter of books that had fallen from - no doubt- the Androids' attack or when everyone was running away.

He swiped off the cover of one book and stared at the faded cover. At one point, the color must have been vibrant and would have been enjoyed by a little child. He gingerly set that book down, sorting through the top layer of books and placing them next to the first book. He decided to put some other children stories with the first one, in case someone ever made it back here and wanted them. He sat on the ground as he sorted, and he was about to finish when a frown came to his face. He hated to imagine someone hiding in terror and running for their lives, just like everyone in the world was doing. He shook the negative thoughts before they went to an even darker side.

He selected a few books, and he rose to his feet in silence. He headed outside and was surprised to discover a dragon sitting there. It was around his size, and he slowly raised up a hand to the dragon. "Hey there," he said, making slow movements as he placed the books down and approached the creature. The dragon moved closer to the boy and allowed Gohan to touch him, and Gohan smiled. "You remind me of Icarus. He was a dragon I used to play with." The dragon made a noise and bumped him. He laughed at that once until his eyes picked up something and a coldness began to come close to their position.

That could only mean one thing. The Androids were heading this way.

He told the dragon to fly away, but it wouldn't listen, so he attempted to push it away, which made the dragon think Gohan was playing with it. Gohan shooed him away. "You need to leave-"

The dragon made a loud noise, and Gohan heard voices. His eyes widened, and he hurried to conceal himself in a broken building, bringing the dragon with him. The dragon nudged the boy in the shoulder, which he ignored, afraid to speak and give away their position. He stiffened when they walked by, holding the dragon still. Honestly, he just wanted to make sure the dragon did not need to meet the Androids, but it was getting harder since the dragon struggled and seemed to yell at him. It grew excited as Gohan became increasingly nervous. The steps outside his building paused. "Did you hear that, 18?"

"Yeah," was the other Android's response.

"Let's go check it out." The crunch of their shoes on the rubble drew nearer, and Gohan backed away, taking the dragon with him until it squeaked out and dove toward the approaching strangers.

Gohan had tried to snatch him back out of danger, but the dragon appeared in front of the duo. A blast sounded, and Gohan could swear the dragon screamed, and he shuddered and headed the opposite way.

"I bet not many people can say they could eat roast dragon," laughed 17, and his reply was a soft annoyed grunt. Gohan's heartbeat increased as 18 said she saw something else. He merely put distance between him and the two. He was four meters away when he sensed Trunks' energy. He answered it with two quick raising of his power lever to show he was safe, at least for the moment. He was nearly to the edge of the city when he felt it. Someone was alive inside. He concentrated on it, and his heart sank. Whoever it was was heading directly where he had just left the Androids, and coolness surrounded the boy, and the feeling brushed over his head, back the way he came.

It met the KI head on, and Gohan brought up his fingers, focusing on it and disappearing. He appeared among the buildings and locked on the energy source. Of course it had to be a child, even younger than himself. He clenched his hands, willing for the kid to turn around, yet the girl continued. Out of the corner of his eyes, he witnessed the Androids casually walking forward, the smirks ever-so-present on their faces. He couldn't take it any longer when 17 raised up a hand and said something to his sister. He flashed to the girl's side just before she went to hide in a doorless store, and he darted away from the Androids, twirling in the air and throwing a ki blast as he did so. He heard it connect, but he was already disappearing to another spot where a close alive person was, only to place down the girl, who ran to the man.

Gohan then teleported back to stand behind the Androids, bringing down his hand and shooting another blast from his other, striking them in the back. He should have left then and there, but he hesitated, which cost him. 18 came forward and smashed a palm into his face, and his body flew sideways. He skirted around a building after he regained his footing, and he paused for a moment. He determined that this was a bad idea, especially when a blasted made the building explode, and 17 flashed in front of him, laced hands snapping his head down.

He braced himself as 17 kicked him up into the air, but before 18 could hit him, he spun and righted himself in the air. He held up his hands, letting out a Masenko quickly, swinging his body out of the way as 18 barrelled toward him. He ducked as the female's hand whipped right where his head had been. He narrowed his eyes in concentration as 17 joined the fight again, landing a punch to his side. He dodged various attacks, shooting backward through the air with the Androids right on him. The feeling swirled around him as the Androids darted all around him. With each hit, his body went back some, and he grinded his teeth together.

He blocked some of the hits, and he deflected a few more, but he was sorely lacking at the moment. He expelled a burst of energy, taking the Androids by surprise on how far they shot away from the young boy. They immediately came at him again, and he shot blast after blast at their forms to stall them. It succeeded for the first few times until they just flew past the spheres of energy and targeted the Son. He covered his face from 17's fist, and he could "sense" 18 behind him because of the feeling resting there. He swirled around, facing a blast that erupted out of her finger.

He dodged to the side, and he spun to evade a blow from 17, who expected his dodge. 17, luckily, missed him, but he growled lowly. 18 told him to stop fooling around and to hit the brat. 17 barked out something that was laced with sarcasm, but Gohan was formulating a plan of escape. He could always use Instant Transmission, but the problem was some time and the concentration that was required. Alright, so he needed a diversion. He watched 18 crash into him in that same moment, which he didn't try to move out of the way. He took the hit and plummeted to the ground.

He went straight to the ground, headfirst, and he waited until he was nearly colliding with the asphalt, and he flipped to slow his momentum, propelling his body sideways. He did a few flips with his right hand helping him along, and next, he jumped into the air and hovered. He didn't want to transform if he didn't have to because if he did, Trunks would rush over to assist him, and in his state, he shouldn't really be participating in a friendly sparring let alone an Android beating.

Behind him, resting on the ground, was an overturned bus, and he drifted to land on it, eyes zeroed in on the Androids, who were heading for him. He held his clenched fists at his sides, the feeling wrapping him up in a cocoon, and Gohan guessed if he remained where he was, he'd be severely injured, but he couldn't move just yet. He counted down from five. _Four… Three… Two… One…_ He jumped from the bus, grabbing it by its open door and threw it at the Androids, who couldn't possibly have time to react to the closeness of the vehicle and with the amount of their speed they were putting out.

The bus struck, and accompanying it, there was a blast that lit it up in flames. Now, Gohan had at least two seconds, and he used it, flying as fast as he could after he teleported a good distance away. He flew and flew, blindly heading away from the Androids, toward what he did not know. Soon, he slowed down so he could actually view his surroundings, and he spotted something in the middle of a clearing, located by a stream. Before he flew over, he noticed a city that was just along the horizon, which he thought strange since there had never been a city that close to that house… _His_ house.

He maneuvered himself over to land by the door. He stopped inches from the door and hesitated. He raised his hand and slowly brought it up to the door handle. His pulse quickened, but that didn't deter him from opening the door to reveal whatever was hidden behind it. His breath caught, even if he was just met with dust and slight darkness. He took a step in and breathed in real deep. He was home; finally after months, he made it back to his house.

He scanned the area, taking in the layers of dust and cobwebs coating everything. It has seen better days, he'd admit that, but what really distressed him was that no one has set foot in here for at least a year, and he couldn't understand what that implied, or maybe he did, but he refused to acknowledge it. He didn't want to think about the possibility. After he surveyed the rest of the first floor, he went to the second one, if that could be called one. They had placed it in just in case Krillin wanted to sleep over, during the time his dad was missing in space.

He always thought his mom was lonely or something because usually she wouldn't allow Krillin over at all, saying he'd interfere with Gohan's studies or Goku would be preoccupied with Krillin and training more, but the fact was, he never stopped training even when Krillin wasn't there. Before Gohan left his time, he understood his mom was sad about his dad's disappearance, as was everyone. Maybe she let Krillin stay over as an apology to both his dad _and_ Krillin, but he couldn't be certain.

Presently, he walked up the few stairs to the small area. It was short, but since Krillin wasn't exactly tall, it was the perfect size for him to walk around in. Gohan turned to the side, and he frowned at the lone mat in the middle of the floor. Images of his dad flowed to the surface of his mind, screams echoing in the back of his skull, and his dad clutching his chest in agony. The images faded, and he tore his gaze away from the mat and to the opposite side of the room (from the door). He hurried across the room, and with shaking hands, he gripped the object that held his complete attention.

His fingers went along the picture frame, and he swallowed as he brushed off the dust for a better view. His eyes shimmered at the picture contained in the frame. It was of Gohan, his mom, his dad, and Krillin, who was pulled into the picture by Goku, who was then laughing at his bald friend. His mom was smiling, more cheerful than Gohan remembered seeing her as of late, her one arm had itself wound around his dad's, and Gohan was held up by his dad's hand that was intertwined with Chi-Chi's. Krillin, even though he was forced into the picture, shared almost the same grin as Goku. Meanwhile, Gohan had his eyes closed and he yelled out something, entirely excited to be there with his parents and a friend.

He took his time as he placed the picture back in its spot, but he wouldn't stop staring at it. He discovered that his eyes were glued to it. Shivering out of nowhere, Gohan sniffed some, trying to hold the tears back. He was succeeding at it until he heard a voice coming behind him at what he guessed was the door. "Gohan, baby is that you?"

He whirled around and faced the voice, face disbelieving. "Mom… Mom!" He went to head over to her, but she beat him to it, clutching him to her chest.

"I thought I lost you," whispered Chi-Chi, hugging her only son- her dearest Gohan. "They said you were dead, I didn't believe them. I couldn't… Not my baby." Her black hair stuck out of her usual neat bun, a few pieces by her ears and some more by the top of her head. "I'm glad you're alright, Gohan." She withdrew herself from him, backing up toward the stairs, eyes widening with each step. "Or are you dead and they got me too?"

He stretched out his arms. "No we're both alive. I'm just from the past."

His mom ceased her retreat and pounced on him, picking him up and causing him to swing side-to-side. "That means I'm not seeing anything." She crushed him in an even tighter hug. "My poor, poor baby, I've missed you. Gohan, why don't you ever visit anymore?"

While his face was being crushed, Gohan caught her strange choice of words, eyes drifting up to hers, seeing the tears gush from them.

She pulled him back to glance at his face, expression serious. "You do know you're always welcomed to stay with me." Her expression was replaced with a true, yet sad, smile. "You can come back and stop fighting those Androids before they actually get you."

"Mom, I'd love to stay, but-"

"Yeah, my baby has to save the world." Tears came back to his mother's eyes, and he hated the feeling of uselessness at seeing her in this state. "First your father, then the others, and then you…" She paused. "You will visit, please promise me that."

"Of-Of course I will."

A smile bloomed on the older version of his mom's face. "Good." Even though she smiled, there was the hint of sadness behind them. "Now all I have to do is get Bulma off her computer to come and see me."

Gohan's frown deepened, but Chi-Chi didn't seem to notice, and she still didn't notice when he spoke up. "Mom, there's something you need to know-"

She halted him with a hand up. "Before you say anything mister, I have a question for you. Why are you back here? You know we don't use this place."

"Why?" He found himself ask without any prior thought.

"Well, it's in the open, and I… There's- This place isn't good, Gohan." She paused and her gaze grew even more depressed when she turned to the mat.

"Wouldn't you want to stay here? It's home."

Chi-Chi frowned at him. "Home is where family is, Gohan, I realized that when…" She didn't need to tell him when, he could guess, so she continued. "This place isn't home any longer, and I don't have a home anymore."

"What about-"

"Your Grandfather died, Gohan," she stated, eyes glazing over in thought. "They all did, and so will you, and I don't want that to happen. You're my little boy, you were supposed to be my scholar, but… You're out there saving the world." She enveloped him in another hug. "You, my baby, my poor poor baby," she repeated a couple times.

Gohan let her hang onto him until she released him, only then did he speak. "I have Trunks to help me save the world, mom. I'm not alone, and neither are you… Why don't you come with me?" He offered his mother, eyes pleading with her to say yes, but he was brushed off.

"I-I can't Gohan, I can't watch you fight, especially when you look like this." She waved to his young appearance. After a moment, she smiled weakly at him. He didn't understand her sudden changes in mood, but once, he remembered Krillin whispering that his mother was PMSing when she randomly got angry at everyone. He was automatically slammed with a frying pan for that. Gohan wondered if that was the case now, most likely not. Chi-Chi hugged Gohan once more and said. "You're going to leave again." Her body shook, but she seemed to smile when she kissed the top of Gohan's head. "Come back soon, Gohan."

Gohan nodded once. "I'll-I'll find you soon."

She waved him off, and he flew away, all the while staring at his mom until she was out of sight. He didn't want to leave her alone, but he could tell his presence was hurting her, so he thought it best for her to have some space. She has survived this long without him, and she appeared to be okay, maybe slightly less organized than usual and sadder than what he was used to, but she was alive and uninjured it seemed. He turned his head forward, chest aching for some reason. You'd think he'd feel better knowing his mother was living on Earth after all these years.

There was just something that disturbed him, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He made the trip to the house, and when he reached the door, it didn't offer the same reassurance as before. He wished he could go back to his house, but Chi-Chi was correct. It was an obvious target for the Androids when they reached it. He hated to think it would disappear in a fraction of a second, but that would and could happen if they set their sights on it, but it appeared that the Androids left that part alone for now, since there was a clean and destruction-free city within sight.

His hand found itself on the door handle, but he paused because he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to the right, and his breath caught. "P-Piccolo?" Then, the Namekian disappeared when Gohan blinked. He rubbed his eyes, and looked around to spot his former mentor, but when he didn't find him, he understood that he must have been seeing things. He shook his head to get rid of the image of Piccolo standing there, which obviously was a trick from his mind.

Gohan grabbed the doorknob another time and brought the door open. He knew what he expected, and what he expected was what he got. He went inside and practically ran into Trunks, who was not amused, and he had both an exasperated expression and a worried one at the same time. Somehow, he pulled off that look, and if the situation wasn't so grave and the tension in the room wasn't so congested, Gohan might have commented on the look with a slight grin, but he made sure to keep a straight face.

"Hi, Trunks." He walked by the teen, who sighed loudly.

"Why were you fighting the Androids alone?"

Gohan turned around to face him. "I saved someone, and I got out of there."

"You could have gotten hurt, Gohan." He instructed the younger, face heading toward more worried than anything else.

Gohan forced a small smile. "I'm okay, honestly. You don't need to worry." He stopped speaking when Trunks frowned at him. He added, "I'm not going to fight them unless I have to, and I'll make sure you're there."

Trunks grew skeptical, brows pulling together. "Really?"

"Yes, I promise."

Trunks' face softened. "Alright." He shifted slightly, glancing to his shoes for a split second then back up. "Are we still training once a day?"

"With me, yes, but feel free to use the gravity chamber." Typically, Gohan would use it, but at the moment, he didn't feel up to it. He also didn't think it necessary to tell Trunks about his mother, who may or may not be a figment of his imagination.

Trunks grinned. "Yeah, I'll go do that." He almost seemed to run because of his excitement, but he merely walked to the GC.

"Don't over do it," called Gohan, heading to the fridge to see what he could drink. He heard Trunks answer his call with something along the lines that he wouldn't, and Gohan smiled with a shake of his head. He knew Trunks wouldn't listen completely.

For the remainder of the day, Trunks was in the Gravity Room, and finally, upon his exit, he headed for the microwave for dinner. Trunks thanked Gohan, who like always, seemed to be reading a book on the chair. This time is seemed to be about some science, though. After he finished, he made his way to bed, leaving Gohan still in the chair. Gohan had realized, a while ago, that he left his selection of books behind, but he determined that he could head back and get then later on or find some more another time. He did not need Trunks getting angry again if he stumbled across the Androids twice that day.

After thirteen more minutes, he put down the book and retreated to his own bed.

. . . .

The next day when Trunks woke up, his head pounded and his body ached. He rolled off his bed and steadied himself as he stood quickly. He held his head and waited for the dizziness to subside, which it did. After that, he went out of his room and met Gohan in the kitchen. They both ate, like every single day, in small conversation. As Gohan went to the dishes, he began to hum a tune, which made Trunks hesitate in standing up.

"Where do you know that song from," questioned the teen in confusion.

Gohan looked over his shoulder. "Someone sang it to me." He returned his eyes to the plate he was holding. "I think it was called 'Mary had a little lamb.'"

Trunks said. "My mom used to sing that when I was really young, when I was apparently, 'having a fit.'" His shoulders immediately slumped when he talked about Bulma.

"Oh, that explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Why you were singing it at the top of your lungs," he replied simply. "When you had that accident with the medicine."

"What," the other boy brightened to a pink color. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I guess it would be less embarrassing than 'I'm a Barbie Girl,' or whatever that other song was."

The teen's cheeks darkened even more, and his head thumped against the table. "I did _not_ sing that one." He groaned, hiding his face.

Gohan tilted his head, pretending to think. "Well, no you didn't." Instantly, Trunks became relieved. "You were shouting it and dancing around on your bed," he finished, having a hard time concealing the twitch of his lips in a smirk.

Trunks groaned another time. "I swear mother ruined songs for me." His face was beet red by now. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was so embarrassing to the teen, especially when the fact that he didn't remember doing that.

"At least she sang to you-"

"Not very well, though," commented Trunks with smile at the memory of long ago.

Gohan finished the dishes, drying his hands, and he watched Trunks pick up his head. "Her singing couldn't have been as bad as your shouting."

Trunks made a face, feigning hurt. "I'm not that bad." His look was pushed aside by a grin as Gohan shrugged.

"I suppose I should get my hearing checked, then."

"Hah hah, very funny." He rolled his eyes, even through the smile.

"You are laughing, so I must be doing something right."

Trunks laughed some, but his laugh cut off, and he said. "Yeah…"

Gohan tilted his head in confusion, but he didn't let it trouble him too much. Instead, he asked the other. "Could we go and check out the sights today?"

"If you want to, sure."

Gohan nodded, eager, while Trunks did not appear so. You have to realize that Trunks thought he'd find the same thing everywhere they'd go, since he has always seen it since his younger years. Everywhere, the Androids marked their existence, and when they marked something, it left behind rubble and abandoned streets, but Gohan had insisted. "Let's go out now, so we can get back before dinner," the young boy piped up, basically dragging Trunks to the door.

Trunks chuckled lightly. "We just had breakfast."

"I know." His lips turned upward faintly, opening the door and letting Trunks go outside. As he shut the door behind himself, Gohan said. "And I think we need a break."

"From training?" At that, Gohan nodded, and a grin lit up both boys' faces. Gohan's excitement was contagious, _just like his father's_. Trunks grin widened as Gohan sprinted off. Trunks immediately ran after him. When he was hot on Gohan's tail, not literally, or maybe literally? Oh well, when Trunks was almost close enough to touch Gohan, the other leaped into the air, speeding away. Trunks did the same, shouting above the wind. "Are you in a hurry?"

"No," Gohan yelled back. "You're just slow today."

"Slow?" Trunks laughed. "I'll show you slow!" He pushed his power up high, taking him to his super saiyan transformation, and he blew past Gohan, who blinked some. "Now, who's slow?"

Gohan might have chuckled if Trunks didn't almost careen into a building. Trunks barely missed the building, and he even closed his eyes and braced for impact at one point. However, he felt a yank of his jacket and the air suddenly stopped, and he peeked open an eye, noticing there was no building in front of him. He felt slack on his clothing and realized that he had been dropped. He looked behind him, seeing the building still standing upright, and with a relieved sigh, he thanked Gohan. When he didn't receive a reply, his blue eyes traveled to land on the boy.

Gohan's chest heaved, and his eyes were hidden from the teen, who moved closer. "Gohan, what's wrong?" Once more there was no response, and Trunks began to panic. He was about to place his hands on the younger's shoulders, but stopped as Gohan's eyes fluttered open.

"I'm fine, ju-just a little winded…" He said breathlessly. His face paled somewhat as he faked a smile over to Trunks. "I won't do that again." He swallowed harshly. "Or not until I get used to the limited concentration in an even smaller amount of time… To-To teleport, I mean," clarified Gohan, glancing to the ground below.

Trunks worked his jaw slightly, trying to say something aloud or to at least find the right words. "Maybe that's for the best…?"

Gohan swiftly nodded once. "Mhm, wanna continue?"

"Can you," asked Trunks.

The younger one nodded in answer, and they started to fly again, honestly a lot slower than what they previously were doing. Both of them had their arms at their sides as they flew next to one another, and eventually, Gohan spoke up. "Have you ever heard of country music?"

"No, I don't think so. There isn't much music being broadcasted in this time. What is it?" He turned his face toward the younger lad, and the other copied the action.

"Not entirely sure. Krillin told me about it once." His eyes turned to the ground below. "He'd probably say that the future isn't any fun."

"Well, he'd be right." Trunks stated instantly. "There's nothing here to do, really."

"Yes, I've realized that. You can't do much on your own, but if someone's there alongside you, it seems to be much better."

"That's right. You were alone for weeks."

Gohan nodded, and his gaze went back to Trunks. "Yes, it was not the best time, but it wasn't the worst thing I could picture."

Trunks' blue eyes shifted to the air in front of him. "I guess you're right."

Silence claimed the area between the two of them for a few minutes as they flew until Gohan questioned. "How do I turn out in the future?" He moved his arms from his side, placing them straight out.

"You're a lot like your father," replied the teen without turning away from the young boy.

Gohan paused faintly. "In what ways?"

"You become the strongest fighter on Earth."

"Okay, good." Gohan could have guessed that, but it was strange to think himself the strongest warrior that were not the Androids.

"You were always there for us… No matter what, you were there until…" Trunks hesitated, shaking his head.

"I know that I didn't make it Trunks, but this time will be different."

"I hope so."

"It will be because," Gohan gave a brief smile, "all of us will be there to fight the Androids, and we know when they'll show themselves." Everyone would be alive, including his dad, and that meant that they had a chance in his mind. His dad was the first to become a Super Saiyan, and now Gohan was one himself. Also, they had Trunks and most likely Vegeta, if the full-blood didn't turn on them or revert to his old ways, which Gohan doubted, only because of Trunks' presence. Clearly, Vegeta had once had some sort of feelings for Bulma and well… out came Trunks…?

Gohan ignored some of those thoughts and glanced over at the teen, who flashed him a smile, which probably came from Gohan's previous statement. The smile was returned at once, but it didn't last too long; a puzzled expression rose to the boy's face instead. In the distance, he saw something that he recognized. When they came closer, Gohan stopped, head tilting up. _Could it be?_ He wondered to himself. He placed a hand on the weathered beam, and he pictured what could lay at the top. He opened his eyes after he heard Trunks ask him what was wrong.

Instead of answering the question, he asked one of his own. "Have you ever been to Kami's lookout?"

Trunks shook his head. "No, and I'm not entirely sure who 'Kami' is."

"Well, you're about to find out." He blasted toward the top, and Trunks hurried to catch up with him. His feet touched down at the top, creating a soft sound upon landing, only to be followed by another pair of shoes. "This is where Kami lived. Kami is the one that used to watch over the Earth; he was said to be the Earth's guardian," explained the boy, dark eyes surveying the lookout. It was in complete disarray with chunks of the debris littering the area. He didn't know what he expected, but he definitely didn't want to see the touch of the Androids even here.

He supposed that he must have seen this coming. Of course the hurt at seeing the destruction was there, but it was more in the background than anything else. It was sad that he was getting used to the damage all around him. Trunks gazed around the place. "I wonder how this place looked before the Androids," he mumbled almost to himself.

Gohan took a step forward and told him. "When we get to my time, I'll make sure you see it." He passed by the two rows that used to have upright trees, eyes searching the dirt and pieces of the building for anything important. He made his way to the building, which had some of its roof caved in. Stopping to gaze over his shoulder, he spotted Trunks' expression grow angry. "Well, I guess it wasn't as clean as it was before," said Gohan.

"Huh?"

"Maybe we'll find something else," he said, brushing off his bad attempt at making Trunks focus on something else. "Come on, Trunks." The boy took off, and Trunks merely blinked and did the same.

"Would you slow down, Gohan," called Trunks behind the speeding seven-year-old.

Gohan did as he was told, but he remained at a fast pace, heading through the hole in the roof and landing inside the building. He darted down the hall, noticing the dust layering the floors under his feet. He could imagine himself running along the hallway and find Piccolo standing there with his accustomed scowl on his face as he talked with Kami about something, turning to the boy with a slight quirk of his lips, but it faded as instantly as it came. However, he thought he saw green turn into another hallway, and he went there, skidding to a halt before he collided with a door. Okay, so the Lookout was different than he was used to, but he wasn't going to give up searching for anything. He was there after all.

He gently pried open the heavy wooden door, revealing the secret covered by it. He stepped inside, and he felt the change in the atmosphere. It was so weird- so _strange_. Just as he breathed out a "Whoa," it was echoed by Trunks, who came inside around two seconds after him. They shared a look, both simultaneously showing their surprise and astonishment through that one look.

"What is this place?"

Gohan looked away, staring at the pure whiteness expanding from their spot. He ventured out a ways and replied. "I don't know. I've never been to this place." He turned back. "It feels…"

"Strange, like the gravity just changed when we stepped inside."

"Yeah," agreed Gohan. "It feels harder to breathe in here, too."

"It's almost suffocating." Trunks stepped down the stairs, and when he reached the white ground, he was not prepared for the intense force that grabbed hold of him. He made his way over to Gohan, who was surprisingly handling the change extremely well, while the teen stumbled a bit.

"I wonder how long it goes on."

Trunks commented. "It's hard to tell."

Gohan gave him a swift nod. "Seems to stretch on forever though."

Trunks stared straight out, trying to see the end of the room. "Shouldn't there be another wall somewhere?"

"There should be."

"Do you see something?" Trunks actually wouldn't be surprised if Gohan admitted he could, but he didn't.

"No, but don't you hear the echoes?" Trunks listened again as Gohan continued. "That means our voices are bouncing back to us off a hard surface, well, they should be." He quickly added that he read it in a book as well, causing Trunks to stifle a laugh.

"Of course," smiled Trunks.

Gohan flashed a weak smile. "The books offer more than just taking up needed space."

"Are you sure?"

"Perhaps not, they do seem good at their job- tripping people up no matter if they are on the floor or not." Both half-breeds let out some chuckles at that. Gohan walked out a few meters and felt the temperature drop for an odd reason, and he took three more steps, somehow it brought the temperature up to a much heated level. Even though this place was truly messing with the young Son, the teen appeared to be suffering more than him, almost struggling to walk over to him. It didn't really bother Gohan as much as it probably should have, but it felt as if this happened before.

He couldn't explain it; it just felt natural in a matter of minutes, yet Trunks was still adjusting. Most likely they both should have been having difficulties still, shouldn't they? Maybe, since Gohan arrived in this room before Trunks, he was more acquainted with the peculiarity of the place. It was hard to be certain, but Gohan knew that this place would be a great opportunity to test them, so he announced that they should spar.

"Let's train." Gohan said.

"Here?"

"Here."

"Alright then."

Gohan striked first, hitting Trunks backward, and the teen retaliated with a fist toward Gohan's side. The boy merely jumped over him, hitting Trunks at the crown of his head. He remained afloat as Trunks pushed him off and lifted up to reach his level. Soon Trunks' hair stood on end, shimmering to a golden color, and his energy burst out of him, which Gohan took as a challenge, especially with Trunks' smirk that surfaced. Gohan's lips quirked up for a fraction of a second, and they rushed one another, clashing into the air, creating a sound that bounced back in an echo- more like two.

"C'mon Gohan, aren't you going to try," asked the teen, cockily, after he had blasted Gohan back some.

"You asked for it."

Trunks' smirk grew as Gohan charged him. "Wanna make this interesting?"

"With you as my opponent, no way." Gohan hit Trunks with a swift foot to his legs and disappeared from view, ending up behind the Super Sayian to sweep out the teen's legs, which was successful, but since both of them were hovering over the ground, it didn't do too much. In fact, Trunks kicked up his feet in an attempt to smash them into Gohan, who dodged by jumping back out of the way. "You almost caught me that time." He yelled with a playful grin.

"Don't worry, you won't be lucky this time!" Trunks swirled around and brought his fist toward the boy's head, sliding right through the afterimage, and his momentary confusion gave him a pain in the neck- _literally!_ A sphere of energy had exploded on his back, and as he turned around to face Gohan, a yellow ball hovered over the boy's palm. Suddenly, the boy threw the ball of energy, and the teen tilted his head, letting the blast surge past his head, but what Gohan told him make him look over his shoulder.

"I would watch your back, Trunks."

The energy ball rushed back at him, slamming into the teen, enough to propel his body forward ten inches, directly within range for Gohan to bring up a kick to his chin, easing up on the force right before it connected because Gohan remembered Trunks was still slightly injured. Trunks shot up a bit, righting himself quick enough to evade the hand from the boy that barely missed his cheek. He attacked again, aiming to hit Gohan in the stomach, but the boy merely grabbed hold of his arm and heaved him over his head. Trunks maneuvered his body, so when he hit the ground, he could bounce back up at Gohan.

Unfortunately, his progress was halted to return back to the fighting above since he saw Gohan charging up an energy blast that formed between his two palms.

All he heard was the last syllable, "HAAA!" Before it hit, though, his hands flew in specific but seemingly random positions, finishing with his arms outstretched and palms outward.

His Burning Attack flashed through the sky, creating a noise in its wake. "Hey Gohan, how about this!" The two major blasts clashed, mixing in the middle slightly. Both sides pushed one another, but it wasn't long before the blue blast that belonged to Gohan overcame his yellow one, shoving them both his way, and the teal eyes widened a tiny bit, so that it wasn't really noticeable, as the dual energies approached. It struck him and lit up the world.

. . . .

* Gohan closed his eyes, and he opened them to darkness. However, he was accompanied with a weird feeling that he could only describe as deja vu. It seemed to hover all around him as his eyes adjusted. He immediately recognized his bed and the room at his _actual_ home. For an odd reason, his stomach sank, and then he heard it. He heard the screaming from the other side of the house. He slipped out of bed, and he made his way, barefoot, toward the yells he believed were his mother's.

As he went closer to the noises, he realized the obvious sounds of someone crying. He looked through the doorway of his mom's room, and his eyes brimmed with tears at the despair written over the woman's face. "Goku, why did you leave us," she shouted to the skies above. "I know you can hear me! Why don't you come back down here and talk to us- to _me_?!" She hollered at the sky, brows furrowing in irritation. She whispered. "Goku, I need you back… Please…" The sobs soon surfaced again, and Gohan found himself by her form on the floor, on his knees, the same as Chi-Chi.

"Mom," Gohan started, but she just continued to wail real loud.

"Goku… Goku…" She whispered again and again after her cries subsided. "Goku, come back home…"

Gohan tried to get her attention, but her voice continued to drone on, and she refused to acknowledge him. "Mom, please look at me. It's Gohan," he told her, eyes pleading for her to look at her only son. "Mom, you're making me worry. Please talk to me." He felt himself say without a prior thought.

"He's gone. Why'd he leave me?"

"Mom, he didn't have a choice. If he did, he would have stayed-"

His mom just screamed for a minute straight, and she glared at the ceiling. "He came back, and he disappeared again." She frowned, tears streaming her face, and Gohan felt helpless, utterly helpless. He thought he should know how to console her, since the feeling of deja vu claimed the boy again. Finally, however, his mom turned to him, and she crushed him to her chest. "Gohan, you're still with me and don't you ever abandon me."

Since it was the only thing to keep his mom content, he said he would never leave her, and she smiled, while he felt cold.

"Good…" His mom began to dissolve into the background as the floor melted around them. The floor of his house gave way to rocks beneath his body. He straightened up, and he paled as he watched a figure appear in the distance. It seemed to hover above an all too familiar ship with a hand up.

It was Frieza, he was certain, and just as he went to head forward. His vision turned red, and he scanned his area, seeing that he was in his uncle's spacepod again, trapped and terrified. His small hands landed on the glass separating him from his dad, Piccolo, and the others. As he blinked his eyes closed, the scene changed, and he was somewhere in space. He saw planets and stars whiz past him in the spacepod. Suddenly, the pod lurched and smashed into the ground, stopping, and the door opened after touchdown.

He felt incredibly hot, and his hands felt slippery, and his eyes barely felt open. His eyelids threatened to seal and to plunge him into sleep, but he pushed himself out of the pod with a feeling of urgency, along with that strange deja vu feeling again. He peered overhead, eyes narrowed on Frieza's form that was closeby. He clenched his hands, but he couldn't move any more muscle than that, and when he tried, he fell and his vision faded to black.

He stirred some, mouth parched and head aching. With one look at his surroundings, he groaned, rolling onto his stomach, wincing from the pain, and he began to crawl somewhere, but he couldn't distinguish where because darkness invaded the outside of his eyes, creeping in until that was the only thing that was left. Next, he rose into a sitting position, the pain hitting him head on, and he gripped his head, yelling out once until the pain spread to the rest of his body, reminding him on the trip in the time machine after his head smashed into the machine. The temperature was searing hot, and he smelt something burning, but his body grew too numb to feel and a shadow darted in his vision real quick to disappear, taking the pain away with it, and apparently, he regained consciousness in the following moment.*

Gohan sat up, rubbing his head and his eyes fluttering open.

"Have a nice nap," asked Trunks, who now stood up. "... We should probably get back. It must be dark out there by now."

Gohan hesitated, unsure if this was reality. It felt like it was, but his dreams still hung over his head for a bit, so he decided to make sure. He wasn't sure how he managed to fall asleep. He remembered beginning to train with Trunks, Trunks going Super, Gohan remaining in his base form, and the connection between their blasts. Then, his thoughts just stopped, but slowly it pieced itself together. The blasts hit Trunks, who could shrug the hit off and in fact did, coming at Gohan to resume the fight. They had continued until both of them grew fatigued, and Gohan suggested a rest. They did receive a rest, but Gohan had not wished to take a nap, yet it happened, and Gohan could only guess that it must have been nearing dinner by now.

He raised himself to his feet, head pounding constantly, but shrugged off the intense headache, opting to make his way to the wooden door- back out to the top of the lookout. When they made it out, they immediately felt the change in environment, but neither of them commented about it. They had expected it. They walked down the hallways and through the hole in the roof. They went to the edge of the platform and jumped into the air. Staying aloft, they looked at the sun, which was still high in the sky, almost like they never stepped into the building.

Trunks raised a brow, looking over to the boy, who was currently tilting his head, and Gohan shrugged a shoulder. "What was that place," asked Trunks, not expecting a response, but indeed wanting one. The teen looked back to the building, gaze studying it. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Gohan said his name.

"Let's go before anything happens."

"What do you mean?"

The chilling feeling wafted over the young boy, and he frowned. "I just have a feeling that something's wrong… And it's not just that place either…" He still hasn't told Trunks about the feeling that always seemed to save them and so many times at that, and he didn't plan to. It sounded even odd to him, and sometimes he didn't use it for that reason, but when it coated the area around them, he guessed he shouldn't ignore it this time.

"Oh-Okay." Trunks started to fly ahead, heading toward the house with Gohan keeping pace with him. As they flew, the teen occasionally placed his blue gaze on his friend, increasing his worry each time. "Is everything alright, Gohan?"

The boy's head was pounding as if two people were fighting in his head or smashing their fists into it, and the feeling intensified all around him, until it retracted back toward the two of them, causing him to suck in a breath as the feeling headed for his face. He jumped out of the way just as a ball of energy shot past him. Both of the half-saiyans stopped in the air, eyes scanning for their attackers, which didn't last long because the duo hovered to the right of them, drifting to land in front of them.

"What do we have here?" A smirk rose to the make Android's face. "Looks like we caught some game. Whatcha say, 18, all out this time?"

18 flicked her hair out of her blue eyes. "Yeah, they both have been just pests lately."

17 agreed. "Yeah, they have been in the way a lot." He uncrossed his arms, a cruel smirk growing on his face, and he raised a hand. "Sorry, playtime's canceled." Before he shot, Gohan and Trunks shared a look, and Trunks inclined his head slightly to the younger boy. Gohan returned his eyes to the Androids, and both half-breeds flashed to the opposite side, crisscrossing their paths.

Gohan appeared at the Androids' right side, while Trunks came at them from the left. The shot whizzed between them, exploding harmlessly away from them, and Gohan smashed 18 in the head with a foot, who grabbed hold of it and threw him toward Trunks, and Gohan merely flashed to behind Trunks, evading the collision. Then, Gohan launched himself over Trunks, who ducked to let Gohan slam a fist into 17's cheek. 17's body lurched to the side, and Trunks aimed a blast at the black-haired Android. Unfortunately, Gohan knocked him out of the way, sending the blast over the Android, but luckily for Trunks, he was saved from 18's blast in the process.

18 darted at Trunks, slamming into him and making him fly through the air backward, while 17 forced Gohan to bring an elbow up to deflect a hand, shoving the Android away with the same arm, using his other to blast 17 back farther with energy that shot from his palm. He watched 18 advance on Trunks, and the feeling expanded to cover the teen, and automatically, Gohan brought his fingers up, teleporting to Trunks' side just as they met a beam from 18's finger and another from her brother's hand.

The blasts exploded on their forms, smoke concealing them for three and a half seconds until gold burst through the thick smoke, revealing the two. Matching teal eyes met again, and they took off in the next moment. The Androids couldn't understand what happened until they were both pushed into one another. Somehow the two super saiyans kicked them together at the same time, and Trunks narrowed his eyes as the Androids did not move. He clenched his hands tightly, asking himself what they were planning. They all stood silent and deadly still for awhile, and it was broken only when Trunks snapped out his hands, a blast erupting from him and hitting the Androids.

For an odd reason, when the explosion that came upon colliding with the evil duo, the feeling disappeared, not just from where the Androids had been standing, but everywhere. Gohan grew confused for a split second, only becoming horrified when the feeling overcame Trunks, cold as ice and dangerous as ever. "Trunks!" He yelled out, but it was already too late. The Androids were upon the teen, who didn't stand a chance. He flew as fast as he could over to the teen, but it was much too slow.

The Androids were already knocking Trunks around. 18 had slammed a palm into the side of Trunks' face, hurling him into 17, who kneed him roughly and elbowed him down toward the ground. Both Androids outstretched their hands, KI blasts striking Trunks over and over again. He screamed each time, except for the last four, which his eyes were tightly shut and his clenched teeth were revealed as he fell. Just as the Androids started up their firing again, Gohan reached Trunks' side, grabbing hold of him, slowing his descent, and covering him with his own body. The energy clashed against his back, and soon, he too began to fall to the forest floor below.

Once his feet bounced onto the ground, Gohan slipped Trunks onto his back and took off deeper into the forest and trees. He futilely searched for a hiding spot, yet he kept on running. There had to be a way out of this! The feeling began to creep up behind him, and he swallowed harshly. This routine of fighting and running was becoming bothersome and just plain tiring. He stopped as he slid to hide behind a thick tree in order to make note of Trunks, who was still unresponsive, yet he was in his super saiyan transformation for the time being, and Gohan was pretty sure that wasn't the best thing.

The golden glow diminished over Trunks' body, but his hair was still a pale yellow, and no doubt his eyes would be a pale color as well if he were to open his eyes. Gohan dropped his transformation as he cautiously peeked around the tree. It was a bad decision because the feeling exploded around him a millisecond before a blast struck him back, leaving him stumbling to keep going. He darted further into the thick forest, holding Trunks steady as he did so, and he could feel the Androids trailing behind them, causing the boy to pick up the pace. He knew that if he stopped they would be directly on top of him, and he didn't think he'd have enough time to get his fingers up and concentrate on a place to disappear to.

Plus, the training in the white room left him completely exhausted. For a long time he kept his fast pace, but soon it began to dwindle, and his progress began to slow. He stared over his shoulder as the feeling wrapped around his back and, more importantly, Trunks. He didn't see them yet, and obviously, he didn't see the dip in front of him, and they both crashed to the ground, rolling down the inconveniently placed hill. As soon as they reached the bottom, Gohan scrambled over to Trunks, lifting him up once more and hobbling off at a much _slower_ rate than even before the hill.

A little ways off he saw a small hole in the ground, and when he heard 18 and 17 come closer to his spot, he shot a blast out of his hand, landing perfectly in the open hole, blasting pieces. It was just enough to fit the two of them. He slid Trunks into the hole, whose yellow hair faded and returned its normal purple hue, and he followed after the teen, head facing outward, hands covering up the entrance with the pieces he had broken before climbing into the hole. The feeling disappeared completely again, and Gohan's breath caught in his throat, ears straining to hear. Voices neared them, and Gohan tensed when their footsteps approached their hiding spot. His anxiety increased when their footsteps stopped close to them.

"Where'd they go," asked 17, who sounded exasperated.

"How should I know? You let them get away again." Something flew by the opening and Gohan refused to breathe. 18's shoes appeared next, and the toe of her boot kicked another rock across the way.

"Yeah, it's always me." 17 stated sarcastically. "What about you, huh? You just let him walk away, who knows maybe he disappeared to that ice block up north."

"Antarctica?" 18 stated, most likely raising a brow. "Now why would he go there? We wiped it out last time we went up there, and the place was covered in snow."

"But the skiing was definitely fun, you have to admit that."

"Pft, you're such a kid." She added, "And that wasn't fun at all."

17's voice increased in annoyance. "Then, what is fun? You like shopping, and I hate it. I like driving, and you hate it. What do you like that I do?"

"Killing Goku and the others."

17 laughed. "Yeah, that was fun while it lasted."

"And we only have those two left. Who you can't seem to hit."

"Well, soon that won't matter. Next time we'll get those two."

"Really, you're spreading that lie again. You know I hate being considered a liar."

"Yeah, sure thing, sis. Fine, _soon_ we'll destroy them, just like everyone else."

"We better," grumbled the female Android.

"Let's start with this place, maybe we'll get lucky." So the day lit up in various blinding yellows as they sent blasts all around. Gohan felt the hole shudder in which they laid in, and he brought out his hands as far as he could to prevent the hole from collapsing. He also pushed his back into the top of the hole, holding it up so it wouldn't cave in on them. Each blast that hit the ground rattled Gohan and sent his teeth clattering. He hoped it would end soon, but it continued for what seemed forever. Finally, the Androids seized fire, and they stayed silent. Gohan even thought they had left the area for a bit until 17 swore loudly. "Of course we missed them."

18 merely sighed and the crunch on her boots came to rest on top of their small mound, so Gohan had to hold her up so she couldn't crush Trunks, while making sure the pieces on top remained there and not covering the unconscious teen. "This sucks."

"Let's just head up to that big city we saw earlier."

"No, I want to go to that small town in the south."

"Why? There's nothing there- there's no one there."

18 shrugged, moving above the two hidden half-breeds. "Tomorrow we'll go to the city, we'll have more time, and there's a carnival in town or something like that."

17 didn't respond at first. He thought for a moment until he grinned. "Might as well." Gohan heard them zip off, and he waited for ten minutes to be certain which was probably good because he heard 17 scoff nearby.

"Let's just go, 17. They aren't here any longer." With her parting words, they were off, and the feeling rose up in Gohan, following the Androids until they were a mile away. Then, he relaxed faintly. He managed to remove Trunks and himself from the hole before it crashed down, and the boy cringed a bit. That might have hurt. His gaze journeyed over to Trunks, and the feeling drifted over the teen's motionless form. Gohan noticed Trunks' energy was slowly declining, and he dropped to his knees to check the other's pulse, which was incredibly sluggish.

The air grew colder, and Gohan slouched, eyes quivering. Trunks' energy lowered even more, and Gohan knew that if he managed to get them back to the lab, it wouldn't make any difference. He was not a doctor, and from what he was observing, the shots from the Androids pierced every part of his body, the exception would be his head, but that wasn't Gohan's main concern. It was the hole through his friend's chest. His lip shook next as he hung his head. He couldn't let his best friend die. He would give anything to save him, and he had one idea that may assist him. It was a long shot, but it was the best he could do. "Don't give up on me, Trunks." He placed his fingers to his forehead. He glanced to his friend. "Because I'm not giving up on you." His expression changed to determined.

His body shimmered, and he disappeared, only to return to the Lookout. He steadied himself, and he flew down from the Lookout and finally made it to Korin's place. He landed, instantly noticing the condition was similar to the lookout, and he frowned. This was his last chance- his only chance- to save Trunks. He walked around, but didn't find anything. There was no senzu beans, and a wave of despair brushed over the boy. It couldn't end like this. Gohan choked back a cry, pushing away the need to cry, and continued his search. He still didn't find anything of value until he was heading back outside.

He paused when he heard a voice. "Gohan, is that you?"

Another gruff voice answered the first. "Of course it is, who else could it be." This statement was followed by a cough that refused to cease.

Gohan swirled around. "Korin, Yajirobe, you're both alive?"

Yajirobe was propped up against a wall and grumbled something as Korin stated. "Not by much."

Gohan began to notice how Yajirobe was surrounded by red that seemed to have dried, and Korin's fur was dirty and had marks in it. "Wha-What happened?"

"Well, you see the Androids came back awhile back, and we were trying to find some-"

"The last senzu bean," corrected Yajirobe. "It was a real pain in the neck, but I found it." The short man tossed something toward Gohan, who blinked at it.

"Don't you need this?"

"Nah. Just take it before I change my mind," grumbled Yajirobe, who seemed to sink further into the floor.

Gohan went to open his mouth. He didn't feel right taking this, but Trunks needed it, too. He couldn't give it to either one and feel good about it, so he asked. "Can't I break it in half?"

"You might have been able to, but your friend- Trunks, is it?- isn't going to last long. Just make him eat it and hope it works." Korin instruction Gohan, leaning against his wooden stick. "If that doesn't work… Well…"

Gohan did not need to know the details, so he nodded and thanked them, rushing toward the stairs. "Hey, kid." Yajirobe spoke up, causing him to stop. "You better make sure this doesn't happen again."

Gohan hesitated in moving as he contemplated that statement, but Korin told him farewell, and he remembered the urgency of the situation, so he put up his fingers and told them that he'd be back. Little did he know that they wouldn't be there if he did. He teleported to Trunks' side and went to his knees, squeezing Trunks' face and putting the bean inside it, pushing it back. He waited and waited, and Trunks' energy did not rise. Those moments were the longest in his life, and he frowned. "Trunks, don't give up on me." He placed his hands on the ground, and he slapped them against it, causing it to crack underneath them. "It's my fault… I wasn't strong or quick enough… I failed not just you, but everyone else, Trunks." He whispered, hands slowly drawing together to form fists. "I failed," he repeated more dejectedly.

His dark eyes merely stared at the ground, and his voice came out flat. "I'm sorry I didn't hold any my promises." He sensed Trunks' energy drop even lower, and it reached dangerous levels. He placed his hand on Trunks' arm, eyes unblinking on the ground that was parallel to his face. He released Trunks, and he reached his feet, staring down at the teen. He would give anything- anything at all- to protect his loved ones, but it seems it's always them to fall in place of him. He wanted to switch with Trunks, so he wouldn't have to die.

He clenched his hands tighter, teeth grinding together. Static skittered around him, but he didn't notice, but what he did notice made his anger subside. He glanced at his brightly glowing hand. He couldn't explain why he did what he did, but he knelt and placed a hand to Trunks' head. It glew between his hand and Trunks' forehead, and it instantly made Trunks' energy jump up. When it reached a more tolerable level, Gohan let go of Trunks, and he waited again, keeping an eye on Trunks' KI.

It did not change at all, and Gohan wasn't sure whether that was good or not. However, as he patiently looked for a response from the unconscious form, he saw Trunks' throat move, and he concluded that Trunks must have swallowed the senzu bean at last. Soon, Trunks' energy skyrocketed, and his eyes shot open. Gohan could have leapt for joy; instead, he blinded Trunks with the happiest smile he has had seen coming to the future.

"Good, you're awake."

Trunks pushed himself up with a groan. "What happened?"

"You," he paused and lifted a shoulder. "The Androids knocked you unconscious, but you seem to be alright now." That wasn't a complete lie, so Gohan was okay with letting that slide out. "How do you feel," questioned the boy as they both rose to their feet.

Trunks pondered that for some time. "I actually feel pretty good, strange as that sounds." He moved his bangs out of his eyes with his thumb.

Gohan beamed at him, but it faded when Trunks' gaze grew suspicious.

"Okay, what happened to me?"

Gohan tilted his head in confusion. "I thought I answered that. The Androids hurt you, but we managed to escape."

"So it was pretty normal?" Gohan nodded, but Trunks stated. "Then, why do you seem so relieved?"

Gohan let out a sigh. "I thought they had hurt you more than they had, but I'm glad I was wrong, and it wasn't as bad as it looked." A frown eased itself on the boy's face. "I just don't want any more deaths."

Trunks softened up a bit. "Neither do I." A smile softened his face even more. "And you don't have to worry so much."

"Yes, of course, you're the son of Bulma Briefs and the 'Prince of all Saiyans.'"

"Yeah, so I can take anything those monsters dish out."

"And while they do that, you'll grow stronger with each failure."

"So it's just a matter of time before they are the ones hurt more than it seems."

Gohan gave one small nod. "That's one way to look at it." He tried to contain his excitement of having Trunks still among the living, but it was quite hard, so he declared a race to see whether Trunks could keep up or not, and they raced all the way home.

. . . .

Morning broke the stillness of the house, making Gohan climb out of bed, not wake up because he discovered his lack of sleeping ability the previous night. He went for breakfast, creating only one plate because his stomach was flopping and tightening, making him nervous that it would all come up anyway. After a few hours, he began to pace the kitchen. Trunks was still in his room, and that rose emotions in Gohan that made him feel sick. Worry was the main emotion.

What if he was actually dead? What if he imagined Korin, Yajirobe, and the senzu bean? What if he lost Trunks to the Androids? Or what if Trunks was dead- stone cold dead- in his bed? He hurried to the room, composed himself before heading into the room, preparing himself for anything. He opened the door and met with the sleeping teen, who was definitely still alive if his breathing had any say. He released a sigh of relief. He didn't have to bury anyone else. The weight on his shoulders slimmed a bit, and his shoulders relaxed some. He decided to simply close the door and let Trunks be.

He did almost die yesterday. Gohan made his way to the kitchen, placing the plate in the microwave, and he leaned against the counter, claiming a spot by the refrigerator. He smiled up above somewhat. He thanked Kami; if Kami could hear him, he made sure to tell him to tell the others they wouldn't see Trunks or himself for awhile. Neither of them were going to give up, no matter the pressure and pain they had to endure. With that thought, he retired to his lab, looking at the time machine's layout yet again. He still had to figure out how to make more space.

He'd have to extend both the outside and the inside because neither him or Trunks were missing out on the ride back to the past.

* * *

 _ **(Next Time: Is It Finally over?**_

 _ **Is it over? Did our two Super Saiyans manage to finish off the Androids?**_ _ **)**_

Reviews:

maesde: I was going to bring in Cell, but I decided to use him in a difference place (not necessarily in the next chapter either). You would have been right if I didn't change my mind. However, he works better where I put him later on.

"Joey Baldwin"(Guest)/ NinjaFang1331: Thanks for the reviews. Glad you are liking the story.

littletrinks: I will try to make it easier. As mentioned above, I am not sure if this chapter does that, but for the future ones, I will try to put something at the beginning so the readers know that it is a dream. The asterisks okay (*)?

Cruzerblade: As always, thank you for your review, and I'm glad you like the less action-y parts. I just want to show that yeah they are both fighting their butts off, but they are still people with their own lives.

(Not Sure if I Mentioned This: Sid89 (who probably will not see this): They mentioned the change in Gohan's outfit, anyone else realize? That was on purpose. Gohan's age did not "regress" though. There was just a change in his clothes, and there is a reason for it. You might not figure it out for some time though, but there are little hidden pieces in this story that I hope will make sense when it becomes clearer later on.)


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